Regina's Choice
by fan girl 666
Summary: At Archie's funeral Rumplestilskin discovered Cora's deception, with this new found knowledge the Royal Family race to Regina's house only to discover just how far losing Henry has pushed her. Post S210 'The Cricket Game', Slightly AU. (Formerly Regina's Punishment)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 1

Emma was driving at full speed in her beetle to Regina's house with her parents in the backseat praying that they could get to the mayor before anything happened.

Today was Archie's funeral and although there was bad history between the former cricket and Rumplestilskin the former imp still showed up to pay his respect to the dead conscious. When Belle and Rumple had approached the casket containing the body though to pay their last respects to the man looked for one second before turning to the royal family and demanding to know who would play such a sick joke.

Everyone was shocked by the statement and demanded to know what he meant but Rumple just simply waved his hand and Archie's body disappeared in a puff of purple smoke replaced by another.

Cries of shock had run through the funeral home but Rumplestilskin stood there ignoring them looking at the royal family who were unable to speak. Henry eventually broke the silence asking if this was a trick that Regina did but Rumple shot that theory down saying that only himself and a few others knew this particular spell and he had never taught it to the Queen when she was his student.

Instead Rumplestilskin pinned Emma and Snow down with a serious look and demanded to know if there was ANY way that someone could still have crossed over from the Enchanted Forest. It took only a few seconds for the woman to realize that there was, Emma had left Captain Hook on top the Beanstalk with the Giant who kept a single dimensional bean with him, though it did not work.

After saying yes and explaining how Rumplestilskin grew angrier than anyone, even Belle, had ever seen and explained that the water of Lake Nostos the bean could have been revived and that now it was a good chance that Hook and more importantly Cora was now in Storybrooke and were responsible for the death of the psychiatrist and Regina's frame job.

Turning to leave with Belle Rumple had turned around and given the royal family one last look deciding to twist the dagger even further into their hearts by saying.

"Regina and I may hate each other but even I could see that she was really changing and now you might have ruined it by letting old grudges guide your thinking."

Ruby then volunteered to watch Henry and deal with the funeral guests knowing what the royals were about to do next. Although Henry demanded to go with them Emma said that if Regina was still dangerous that Henry presence could accidentally set her off, hearing this and oddly obeying Henry just gave Emma the key he kept around his neck and asked her to bring his mom back.

So the royals had piled into the yellow Volkswagen and set off towards the former mayor's house breaking as many speeding laws as they could along the way. When they finally reached the car they got out of the car and ran to the red door pounding on it but no one answered.

Emma suddenly feeling very afraid grabbed the door handle only to have a small cloud of purple surround it and shock her making the Saviour let go very quickly.

"Emma are you ok?" Snow said taking her daughter's hand and looking at it glad that there was no damage aside from a slight tremor.

"What was that?" James asked looking at the door picking up a rock from the ground and throwing it at the door and having the same purple energy come up and stop it.

"She's sealed herself in," Emma said looking up at the queen's bedroom that awful feeling from before still in her gut. "REGINA LET US IN WE KNOW YOU DIDN'T KILL ARCHIE."

"What about the back door?" Snow questioned if Regina knew that people would come after her when she set up this barrier she might not have shielded the back door as securely knowing that most people would try the front first and give up when they realized she might not be home.

"You two go check I'll see if Henry's key works." Emma said pulling out the key from her pocket.

Nodding the pair set off around the house well Emma silently sending a prayer that Regina didn't spell her house against her son. Sliding the key in and seeing no purple energy coming to shock her Emma turned the key slowly and opened the door stepping into the house.

Emma was taken aback by how cold the house was it wasn't like Regina to keep the house this cold, every time the Sheriff had entered the house previously she knew that it was always kept at a comfortable temperature.

James suddenly appeared behind his daughter slightly out of breath. "Emma the back door is warded also but her tree, Regina's apple tree it's …."

Hurrying to the back door Emma saw Snow standing in front of the once beautiful apple tree back turned to her just looking at it, it was horrible the tree was completely bare with rotting leaves and apples surrounding it. Opening the door Emma ran to her mother turning her away from the sight and noticing that Snow was mumbling something.

"- connected to her, she told me she is the tree and the tree is her when I was small." Snow mumbled looking back at the tree sadly.

"Snow listen to me Regina wouldn't kill herself she's not that type of woman." Emma said taking both sides of Snow's face and making her look at directly at Emma.

"But we took Henry away from her just like I did with Daniel," Snow said tears falling from her eyes as she remembered Regina's face when she told Snow about Daniel's death, to the Queen it was a wound that would never heal. "We took her hope away."

"Snow Emma," James called from an open window surprising both women. "Get up here now."

Taking one last look at the tree both Emma and Snow took off towards the house running up the stairs and seeing James standing in front of Regina's open bedroom door. Looking inside they saw Regina dressed in the same outfit she had on when they were last here sleeping comfortably on her bed completely oblivious to the world around her.

"No." Snow whispered looking at her step-mother fearfully.

Emma quickly walked forward and started shaking Regina's shoulder's trying to wake her up but the woman didn't so much as twitch. Seeing a note in Regina's folded hands Emma picked it up and saw the words 'Royal Family' written on it, quickly tearing it open Emma started reading it out loud.

"'_I did not kill Archie no matter what any of you thinks but I saw Miss Swan tell Henry and no now that no matter what I do I will always be blamed in the end because I as you've said will never change'_." Emma said feeling the slight prickle of tears come to her eyes as she read the words suddenly hating herself for even uttering them.

Regina had been there, she had seen that Henry did not even try to deny what his adoptive mother was accused of he just sought comfort in the arms of his birth mother believing it to be true.

"'_I have decided that since everyone thinks that I am a murder I would be the one to decide my punishment myself rather than have another do so, I will put myself to sleep much I did with you Snow and become a prisoner in my own body'_," Emma felt sick all of a sudden as she looked at her parents and saw that she wasn't the only one. "_'I summoned the needle we used to put James to sleep and have decided to use it on myself, don't worry I will have just enough time before falling asleep to destroy it.'_"

"'_Before I go though I want to tell you all something to each of you, James this might not be how you wanted me to go but I hope you take solace knowing that I am dead in some way'_," Emma looked at her father in shock wondering if he had ever tried to kill Regina in the past. "_'Miss Swan I want you to take care of your son, being a parent is not easy a task and you'll make mistakes but thankfully you'll have people who you can go to for help'_."

"'_Finally to Snow, all those years ago you once tried to get me to change I find it ironic that the love I have for your grandson is what finally made me do so but know this, although I hate you and will until my dying breath I would never have tried to kill you again because of him'_." Emma looked up at her mother and saw that she had moved out of James arms and was now crying into Regina's side like a little girl.

"Is there nothing for Henry?" James asked with a grim face looking at the sleeping woman.

"Yeah _'You must wonder why I have no words of love for Henry or protests of my innocence no doubt and it is simple he would not believe me or anything I could say to him so its best that I try not to'_," Emma couldn't help but remember Regina's face when she said that she was going to break Henry's heart by telling him what the former mayor had done, before the smoke had transported her away, Regina had looked completely broken. "_'Goodbye, Regina The Evil Queen'_."

Putting the letter down Emma looked at her parents seriously feeling a few tears falling from her eyes because she knew that she and everyone else had played their parts perfectly in Cora's plan and broken Regina completely though nobody would have expected this.

"What do we do now?" Emma asked hoping that Snow and Charming would know the answer because Emma didn't.

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***Author's Note***

**I know what Regina did might seems a little OC but I think at the end of 'The Cricket Game' she reached her breaking point.**

**If anyone of my Avengers story 'Little God of Mischief' is wondering I'm not abandoning it I'm going to try and work on two stories at once so fingers crossed.**

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you thought.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 2

After much debate the three royals finally came to agree that two things needed to be done. One, Henry needed to be told so that he could attempt to wake his mother up with true loves kiss like Emma had done with him and two, Rumplestilskin needed to be called since Regina had once told David in passing that if Cora came to Storybrooke he would have as much to lose as she did.

It had taken nearly half an hour over the phone for Emma to convince the pawn shop owner to come over, Gold had insisted that he could look after himself and had nearly hung up on the Sheriff until Emma pointed out to in a hint of desperation that if he wanted to protect Belle it would be better to do so in a group.

So now Henry, Ruby, Belle and Gold were sitting in Regina's living room well the three told the small group about what they had found when they entered the home.

"Truly this is not something I ever thought Regina would do." Gold said leaning forward slightly on his cane from his seat on one of the mayor's small couches next to Belle.

"I'm sorry but I don't see the problem with this," Belle said honestly not seeing any reason for them to wake the former queen up, she knew it sounded cruel but the woman had locked her up for nearly thirty years. "Isn't it better that Regina is not here when we fight her mother?"

"Normally my dear you may have a point -" Gold said nodding his head slightly understanding why Belle felt this way.

"'A point'," Henry said looking angrily at the pair and remembering his own time in the 'red room' that was located in the Netherland and feeling sick just thinking about his mom being there. "My mom is upstairs living out her worst nightmares until we can wake her up."

"And you will Henry," Snow said kneeling down and placing her hands on the boys shoulders comfortingly understanding why he felt so angry. "But right now we have to figure out a way to stop Cora before we wake Regina up and tell her that her mother's here."

"Which as I was going to say will be more difficult if we can't," Gold said earning confused looks from everyone as he magiced the mirror Regina kept over her fireplace for the young boy so that it showed the sleeping woman, he used to do this with Baelfire long ago when he went to make deals it made him feel closer to his son. "In Cora's own twisted way she does love Regina and that is what makes this situation even more dangerous."

"Come on I know Regina's bad how much tough can her mother be?" Ruby said looking at the woman and trying to imagine an older version of her.

"Miss Lucas Cora is infinitely crueller and more ruthless than Regina ever was." Gold said drawing the attention of the young werewolf and the royal males instantly.

"He's right Red this is the woman who destroyed her own daughter's life just for an improvement in her own station." Snow said sadly recalling how she had been used by the woman into breaking her promise.

"And it's not like we can bring young Daniel back to life again." Gold said disdainfully hating the mere thought of bringing the dead back to life, using the idea for one's own gain was one thing but actually doing it was to monstrous even for him.

"What?" Snow said looking at the seated man shocked by his words and giving him a glare. "What do you mean? Daniel died before the curse Regina told me so herself."

"You never told her?" Gold said looking at David in surprise.

"It's been a busy week." Davidsaid squirming a little now as his wife's angry gaze now turned to him promising silently that they would talk later.

"Then let me make this story short," Gold said knowing it best to tell the story now rather than have Snow come up with her own crazy ideas. "Dr. Whale stole the young stable boy's body and one of Regina's hearts from her father's mausoleum and brought him back to life but something went wrong and the man was caught between the memories of his final moments alive and pure rage making him dangerous -"

"You know who Whale is, don't you?" Emma said interrupting the story giving Gold a glare similar to her mother's.

"Of course dearie he's Dr. Frankenstein," Gold said simply returning his gaze back to Snow White. "Now continuing on because of this and the fact that Daniel went after young Henry Regina had no choice but to well kill her true love again."

"Oh god." Snow and Ruby said together in shock well Emma just stood stone face.

"It wasn't like that," David said speaking up for the queen's motives and wanting to make sure that if story was told it was told correctly if not for Regina's sake then for Daniels. "He asked Regina to because he didn't want to hurt her."

"Yet we still arrive at the ending where Regina killed her true love," Gold said taking Belle's hand holding it firmly and feeling her shake. "Something I wouldn't wish on anyone, even her."

"So basically Regina's mom kills her boyfriend and Whale brought him back then she had to kill him over again because he was unstable," Ruby said as the pawn shop owner nodded, suddenly Ruby felt very angry she knew what it was like to have someone you care for die as she sadly recalled Billy and Peter deaths and her roles in them but at least she had Snow and David to help her, who did Regina have. "I think I have a new chew toy in mind."

"So how do we deal with Cora?" Emma said seriously not wanting the woman to **ever** get another chance to hurt her daughter ever again.

"Pray then that she doesn't find out about what her daughters done," Gold said getting up and coming to the mirror looking at the sleeping woman. "Involvement in it or not Cora will destroy this town because of Regina's current …. condition."

"What's the deal between you two anyway?" Emma asked wanting to put all the cards on the table and know why the imp would have as much to lose as Regina did when it came to the woman.

"Why Cora is the Miller's Daughter dearie." Gold said in fake cheer.

"The straw into gold and I get you baby story?" Emma asked taking a small step closer to Henry.

"Yes, as I've repeatedly said magic comes at a price and in cases like with Cora and Cinderella a new life must be traded for a new life," Gold said as everyone, except Belle, gave him sick looks because they had all heard or read the stories about what the man did to children causing the imp to let out a sigh because he knew exactly what they were thinking. "I do not eat them nor use them for potion ingredients I simply find childless couples and give them what they wish for most."

"Then Ella's baby …" Snow said trailing off looking at the man.

"Would have gone to this lovely couple who grew straw for me on my land," Gold said recalling the couple, they were some of the few who braved to work on his land and he found it sad that they couldn't have had children. "I might be the Dark One your majesty but I'm not pure evil like Cora."

"No just an opportunist." Emma mumbled under her breath.

"Perhaps we should call Blue and get some more fairy dust to bind Cora's magic until we have some place to put her." David suggested hopefully immediately earning a hateful glare from the pawn shop owner at the fairies name.

"And where would that be _Charming_ with Sydney and George?" Gold said darkly knowing that the cells under neither the hospital nor the one in the Sheriff's department would ever be able to hold Cora, Hook maybe but defiantly not Cora. "And Cora would never fall for that _fairy dust_ trick it even if you could get close enough to her to try it."

"Then what do we do?" Belle said coming up next to Rumplestilskin and placing a hand on her shoulder trying to calm him down, she knew about what the Blue Fairy had done to him and could understand her love's anger.

"Cruel as this may sound we either kill Cora or die by her hand," Gold said seriously causing the royals to tense, in their world they would kill Cora with no problem but things were different here. "It's the only way."

"You said that about the portal but Snow and Emma still came through." Ruby said not wanting to be a part of a murder plot, she had enough of the with King George incident.

"Miss Lucas I want you to think about this for a moment, Cora and the _good_ Captain are not only extremely clever with a great magical advantage but they also have a disregard for human life well in the other corner we Snow White and Miss Swan," Gold said pointing at the women his eyes never once leaving Ruby's. "Both also as equally clever with a stubborn nature, something I like about them, but sadly they **do** have a regard for human life no matter whom that person is and could never do what needed to be done."

"A bit of a back handed complement but Gold has a point," Emma said looking at Ruby seriously. "Cora would have killed us if I hadn't discovered my magic."

"That is why I propose an alliance for the sake of everyone's safety." Gold said earning shocked looks from Emma, David and Snow; they had expected to have to be the ones to say it first.

"And what do you want out of it, protection?" David said suspiciously wanting to know just what they would have to give the imp for his help against Cora.

"Yes, but not for myself," Gold said looking at Belle seriously, he knew that Hook would never stop until he was dead but he didn't want Belle to get caught up in the war between him and the captain. "With magic back I can't be killed however Bell does not have that same luxury so I ask for only two things one which will require a yes from Belle and another from someone else."

"What is it?" Belle said distrustfully having an idea of what would be asked.

"I wish to place protective spells much like the one on this house on the library, diner and your home to protect you my dear from … unwanted visitors." Gold said simply, he could ask that Belle come stay with him much as he would have liked but he promised himself to never make her feel like a prisoner again.

"I don't think -" Belle said surprised by the condition but still unsure about the use of magic on her home and favourite places.

"Belle trust me you want those spells." Snow interrupted looking at the woman seriously.

"And they would only keep out this Cora and Hook." Belle said frankly knowing that if she didn't ask Rumplestilskin could use this opportunity to try to keep others, especially her father, away from her.

"Yes, no matter what form they take it will recognize them." Gold said honestly looking straight into Belle's eyes.

"Alright than I see no harm then in that." Belle said giving a small smile to the man knowing that he was only worried about her and glad that he wasn't trying to interfere in her life.

"Thank you my dear," Gold said lifting Belle's hand up and placing a small kiss on it before turning to the rest of the group. "The second this is that I know that the fairy Nova or as she's called here Astrid is looking for a job, perhaps you can convince her to work at the library as an extra precaution and as some help for Belle."

"I thought you didn't like the fairies." David said looking at the man in disbelief.

"True but this arrangement would be on my terms not **her's** and well Nova is ... different from the rest," Gold said recalling the woman, he had only seen her once in their old world and although she was a little clumsy the woman seemed so … pure reminding him a little of his son. "She has yet to learn how to manipulate others like the _Reul Ghorm_."

As much as Rumplestilskin hated the idea of working with the fairies it he knew that it would take much combined effort to defeat Cora, the woman had powerful magic enough and an even more powerful mind seeing how she was the only one to ever trick him out of his promised payment.

"So that's all you want permission to place protective wards around Belle's favourite spots and a co-worker for her," Ruby said not believing what she was hearing from the man. "I was expecting you to ask to be mayor."

"Miss Lucas that job is something I think only Regina can handle or haven't you seen the mess Midas has been making in office," Gold said causing the young werewolf to shiver, Midas might have been a good king in their land but here he was a horrible politician who Ruby sometimes felt was trying to change the law so that he could be a king again. "I might have the knowledge to be mayor but only Regina has the patience."

"She did make sure that people were looked after." Snow said nostalgically recalling her life as Mary Margret, she may have been poor and alone but Regina made sure in this land she still did something she loved.

"So does this mean we can go wake mom up now?" Henry said excitedly tugging slightly on Emma's hand, he had been patient long enough listening to the adults make their plans well he watched his mom sleep.

"Yeah we have our plan now we just have to tell Regina," Emma said watching as Henry just ran out of the room at full speed towards his mom looking back at her parents. "I just hope she just doesn't fry use all before we can tell her about Cora."

Everyone then started making their way upstairs, Gold a little slower than the rest, when they got to Regina's room they found Henry standing over his mother nervously. Once everyone was in the room and spread out Henry leaned down and placed a kiss on his mother's forehead.

When Henry pulled back everyone, especially him and Snow, waited anxiously for the wave of true love and the giant breath to come from the former mayor signalling her wake up.

But nothing happened.

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***Author's Note***

**Everyone does Regina waking up when they put her under the sleep spell but I wondered what would happen if she didn't so tell me what you think.**

**Nova fell in love with Dreamy (aka. Grumpy) so I think she's different from the rest of the fairies and Rumple knows this, he also knows that eventually the Blue Fairy (I always personally felt she manipulated Baelfire trying to rid the Enchanted Forest of the new Dark one before he could do damage) and the other fairies will have to be told of Cora and Hook if there to fight the pair but he wants to do it on his terms.**

**Please leave me a review telling me what you thought cause I love reading your reviews and this is my first OUAT story so I'm a little nervous still.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 3

"Why … why didn't it work? It should have worked." Henry said looking at everyone completely heartbroken and leaning down and kissing Regina's forehead again, still though the woman did not wake up.

"Gold," Emma said sharply looking at the pawn shop dealer who could see the metaphysical flames coming from her eyes. "Why isn't it working?

"I'm not sure; I know young Henry loves Regina it shou …." Gold trailed off suddenly now understanding what the problem was exactly. "Ah yes now that is a problem."

"What?" Snow asked having come to stand next to Henry as he hugged her tightly.

"Let me propose three questions," Gold said first pointing at David. "Even though Snow White once became like Regina, you still loved her regardless."

"Of course." David said placing his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"And you love Charming even though he worked with Regina and I to get you home." Gold said now pointing at Snow.

"Yes." Snow said honestly, sure she hadn't been thrilled about it when she had shown up in the Netherworld and found Charming instead of Henry but Snow came to accept that what her husband had done was for the best in the end.

"And lastly Miss Swan," Gold said looking at the Sheriff. "No matter what young Henry's done in his short life you've come to love him regardless."

"He could have be the next the Evil King and I still would have loved him." Emma said looking down at her son and giving him a small encouraging smile.

"And that is our problem," Gold said pointing at Regina with a serious look on his face. "Young Henry's 'moral compass' if you will makes it hard for him to forgive what Regina's done in the past, he simply can't love her unconditionally."

"So it's my fault." Henry said sadly looking at his mom feeling very conflicted at the moment.

"No," Gold said immediately trying to make sure that the boy did not become self-loathing, because if anyone would be able to wake up Regina it would be Henry who reminded the former imp so much of his namesake sometimes. "You are still a child and see the world, especially ours, in black and white not shades of grey."

"Rumplestilskin is right Henry," Belle said coming over and kneeling in front of the boy. "I had trouble when I first met him seeing him as anything but evil but I've learned that there are just many shades of grey to him that people mistake a lot of the time as black."

"So if I came to understand mom better I might be able to wake her up?" Henry said hopefully looking at his adoptive mother.

"I won't lie to you Henry that will be difficult with Regina not around," Gold said honestly earning a glare from the entire royal family. "Not impossible mind you just difficult since you'd learn about her from others instead of straight from the source."

"So basically what you saying is we have to learn more about Regina's past in order to save her?" Emma asked seriously, it wasn't that she didn't want to know more about the woman that she shared a son with but it felt like they would be invading Regina's privacy.

"Yes and you lucky that we have our alliance since I know more about Regina than anyone in this town and am willing to help you." Gold said looking at the woman and knowing that when she did wake up she would learn about all the ways he had influenced her life without the former queen ever knowing and be extremely angry.

"Just like that?" Ruby said skeptically crossing her arms over her chest and giving the man a curious look. "No add on to your deal."

"Regina is a powerful player and we can't afford to have taken out of the game so soon." Gold said honestly also after that dreadful incident with Whale bringing young Daniel back to life he felt that he owed the woman something.

"Self-preservation, now that makes sense," Emma muttered before looking at the sleeping mayor and turning to her parent seriously. "So how should we go about doing this?"

"Someone has to stay here in the house and watch over Regina." Gold said seriously knowing that whoever did might be in danger but still if Cora still believed her daughter was in the house.

"I will." Henry said enthusiastically.

"We both will kid." Emma said not wanting to leave Henry alone with Cora out there and since Regina's house was shielded to everyone who didn't have the right key it seemed the former mayor's house was the safest place to be.

"Excellent Regina couldn't ask for better guards," Gold said knowing that the Saviour and the queen's adoptive son would fight with everything they had to keep the woman safe. "I also propose that you gather the other royal families, your friends and … the fairies to discuss the danger that Cora and Hook represent."

"Meeting at Granny's gotcha." Ruby said pulling out her cell and started texting her grandmother.

"How do we keep Cora and Hook from finding out?" Snow asked seriously not wanting hard thought out plans to become useless because of Cora's little shape shifting trick or Hook's spying.

"With the permissions of Miss and Widow Lucas I will set up the barrier at the diner tonight." Gold said nodding at the female lycan who just stood stunned for a moment before she quickly looked back down at her phone and quickly added something else into her message.

"Just like that?" David said now sounding skeptic.

Gold gave a large sigh, he knew what his reputation was like but still he expected to at least have the benefit of the doubt given the circumstances. "I'll need some items from my shop but yes 'just like that'."

"Look I give you my permission but unless you want to face down Granny's crossbow could you tell me how you cast this spell." Ruby said having sent the message to her grandmother silently hoping that the woman would check her messages before Gold showed up to his spell.

"In simple terms I use an … item of the individuals you want barred as the medium and cast the spell." Gold said trying to explain the spell in the simplest terms.

"I'm gonna regret asking this but what items?" Emma said silently hoping that this didn't involve body parts or fluid.

"A lock of Cora's hair and Hook's hand." Gold said shrugging his shoulders, the admittance that he had Hook's hand combined with Belle's curious nature would lead to eventually lead to her asking about the relationship between the men and as much as Gold knew that he should tell his love about Milah and her death at his hands he didn't want to do it in front of an audience.

"I knew I would regret asking," Emma said feeling a little sick at the thought of the severed hand. "What do we do with Regina?"

"Her barrier spell still works so for the moment we leave her here." Gold said getting shocked looks from everyone.

"What if Cora's been watching and tries to break in?" Snow asked not wanting to leave her step-mother so defenceless.

"Then it is better to leave her majesty alone rather than have Cora trick her guard into inviting her in." Gold said telling everyone the reason behind his slightly cold suggestion.

"I'll go make some calls then." Emma said heading out into the hall to make use of Regina's phone.

*Granny's Diner*

After calling everyone and getting the items from Gold's shop everyone made their way over to the diner where King Midas, Princess Abigail and her fiancé Frederick, King Eric and Queen Ariel, King Thomas and Queen Cinderella along with Thomas's father Theodore, or as they were called in this world Nick Jones, Kathryn Nolan soon to wife of Fred Reed, Brue and Sue Parker, Sean, Ashley and Mitchell Herman, Alexandra had wisely been left with a babysitter, along with the six Dwarfs, Mother Superior and surprisingly Astrid accompanying her in the diner with Granny behind the counter serving them all drinks and asking if they wanted anything to eat.

Upon entry the group was bombarded with question that Emma, James and Snow promised to answer once Rumplestilskin was done explaining and doing his spell on that diner it would be safe for them to answer. Granny had said that the spell wasn't necessary well the Blue Fairy had tried to protest the 'Dark One' casting spells on the establishment; Ruby surprisingly had been the one to squash any argument either woman had with a few words. Once Rumple was finished and everyone was seated Emma explained everything to them, from her meeting with Cora in the Enchanted Forest to Regina's current condition.

"Eternal sleep is too good for her." Grumpy said seriously stabbing his fork into his mashed potatoes with a little bit too much force for Emma's liking.

"Grumpy how can you say that?" Snow asked sounding disappointed in her friend.

"After everything's she's done to use, to Archie -" Grumpy protested trying to remind everyone of the missing psychiatrist.

"That was Cora _Leroy_ I'd bet my life on it." Gold interrupted causing the dwarf to glare at the man.

"I heard about Cora once when I was young," Granny said fingering her crossbow, only her promise to Ruby kept her from holding it like a child did their favourite toy. "Real piece of work from what I heard."

"And which story were you privy to may I ask?" Gold said looking at the woman curiously; Cora had many stories surrounding her, some true, some made up by the woman herself to keep people afraid of her.

"One about her vanishing a baron's wife when the woman made a comment about her lineage." Granny said shrugging her shoulder's she didn't care about royalty much in those days and the baron in question was the worst example of what royalty was.

"Yes that was one of her early works," Gold said recalling the story also. "I just pray she never told the Baron that the pig he ate for dinner was once his wife."

"How can you speak so callously about someone's death." The Blue Fairy said angrily standing up trying to look as intimidating as she could.

"In my line of work death is constant." Gold said shrugging off the woman's words simple, he wasn't here to get into a fight with the Reul Ghorm and he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of letting her see just how much her mere presence wound him up.

"Don't you mean deceit?" The Blue Fairy said in a snooty tone of voice.

"At least I didn't leave Regina to suffer at her mother's hand like some people." Gold shot back simply happy with the look of horror that came to the woman's face and the curious faces of those who had been watching the fight.

"Ok I'm going to have to stop you both right there before things start flying," Emma said coming to stand in front of Gold looking at him and quietly saying to him. "We will talk about that comment later."

"So what do we do?" Midas said standing up and looking at his fellow royals seriously. "Cast this spell on every home and tell the people to stay inside?"

"If you wish to incite mass panic and another possible stampede to the barrier then be my guest _mayor_," Gold said speaking before any of the Charming's had a chance to. "But right now the less people who about this the better."

"Then what are you proposing?" Cinderella asked looking at the man hatefully.

"Keep your eyes and ears open to people focused on Regina, that could be Cora," Gold said knowing that the woman would try to impersonate someone to gather information on her daughter's life. "Also don't try to engage either of them yourself because trust me you will not survive."

"We survived you and Regina didn't we." Grumpy said arrogantly giving the man a smug smile.

"If you do see or suspect you've seen them contact Miss Swan immediately," Gold said ignoring the dwarf like he had the Blue Fairy. "She has experience dealing with them and protection when it comes to Cora."

"They could contact use also." The Blue Fairy said not wanting to let the Dark One have so much say their plans against Cora, the man simply couldn't be trusted.

"Of course dearie if we feel like having pig for dinner." Gold said snidely.

"What do you 'protection'?" King Eric asked wanting to know what made the Saviour so different from the rest of them.

"Miss Swan was born from true love and Cora has a habit if you will of taking people's hearts," Gold said causing everyone to shudder as they remembered about Regina doing the same thing in their world and realizing just where she learned it from. "Cora believes love is weakness making Miss Swan the only one safe from Cora's little trick."

"I recall you also taking people's hearts." The Blue Fairy said reminding everyone of Rumplestilskin's own use of stealing people's hearts to accomplish his goals.

"But it was never my first choice, look Reul Ghorm," Gold said standing and walking a little ways towards the woman looking straight into her nervous brown eyes. "I hate you and you hate me but if we want to survive we have to at least be able to be in the same room without killing each other, unless that is you think Cora plans on showing you mercy because of who you were."

The Blue Fairy was stunned by the man's words but wasn't about to let him have the better of her. "You are a liar and an opportunist Rumplestilskin; you will sell us out first chance you get."

"Not to Cora," Gold said firmly looking at Belle for a second before looking back at the former fairy. "Not to **him**."

"We tell you all this out of respect and in the hopes that if you have any stories about Regina you'll share them with us," Snow said trying to distract everyone from the showdown that was happening in the diner. "We still need to wake her up before Cora finds out."

"I agree to this alliance but have no stories to share." Midas said simply standing up and shaking Snow and David's hands before heading towards the door.

"We also agree and I have a story I will share with you." Ariel said as she and Eric followed in Midas's footsteps leaving the diner quietly.

"We have no story about the Queen but agree to your proposal" Thomas said as he Cinderella left the diner quickly wanting to get out of the imp's presence as fast as they could.

"The Dwarfs will help you Snow but not her." Grumpy said having once again been elected as the voice for his brother's

"As will the fairies." The Blue Fairy said going over to where Belle and Astrid were having a conversation and joining in.

Kathryn came to Snow and James saying that she would tell them about her short friendship with Regina in Storybrooke if it would help before joining Fred at the door and following after her father. Gold meanwhile was telling Granny and Ruby more about the spell he had cast on their diner well keeping one eye on Belle as she talked to the Blue Fairy and Astrid about the woman working in the library.

Emma knew that everyone was on edge now with the bomb she and her family had dropped she just hoped that they still had time to come up with a place to hold Storybrooke's newest residence before Cora found out about Regina.

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Hope you like my reason for Regina not waking up and my choice of Royals I remember in 'Skin Deep' Regina mentioned a mermaid so I wanted to put Ariel in here.**

**Granny not checking her phone is something my own mother does we go to a movie and she puts it on silent and then NEVER turns the ringer back on or she just doesn't check her messages cause she doesn't know how even though I've explained it so many times to her.**

**Thomas's father didn't have a name but the actors name was Ted Whittall so I just tried to make the name similar.**

**The Blue Fairy seems like she would start a fight with someone to try and prove to people that she was right about them I just hope that Rumple didn't seem a little OC cause he didn't fight back I figure that Belle is a good influence of his temper most of the time.**

**If anyone here also reads my story 'Little God of Mischief' please feel free to check out a poll I started about it on my profile.**

**Please leave me a review telling me what you thought they always make me happy.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

* * *

Chapter 4

After the couple left the diner Rumplestilskin's plan was to walk Belle home and set up the barrier on her apartment immediately however the woman insisted that the make a side trip to the library, just in case Hook tried to break in before they set up the barrier.

After knowing that her workplace was safe Belle and Rumplestilskin went to Belle's apartment to set up the final barrier. Well Rumplestilskin walked around her apartment slowly, two clothed bags in his hand as he said something softly under his breath, Belle put the kettle on planning on making them some tea before they sat down and talked about the situation since there might not be a chance later.

Belle heard the kettle start whistling as she was taking out some of Rumplestilskin's favourite oatmeal cookies, turning around the woman simply turned off the stone and poured the water into her teapot before placing it on a cool burner before turning around moving it and the cookies over to a small table noticing that her lover was already sitting on one of her chair's looking very tired.

"Are you alright Rumple?" Belle asked concerned for the man's health.

"Yes my dear just a little tired." Gold answered rubbing the bridge of his nose lightly as he tried to fight off the tired feeling that had suddenly hit him after finishing the spell.

"Because of the spells?" Belle questioned as if reading the man's mind knowing that an overuse of magic could be the explanation behind his sudden exhaustion.

"Yes," Gold said simply as Belle slid the cookies closer to him as a silent offering causing the man to smile softly and take one. "These spells are complex ones to cast and take much concentration."

"I should have waited until tomorrow to have you cast the one on the library than." Belle said feeling slightly guilty about her impatience.

"No my dear you were right to ask me," Gold said taking a sip of his tea. "Had I cast it tomorrow with Hook in the building the spell would have become confused therefore making it ineffective against him."

"About Hook," Belle said curiously looking at the chair next to Rumplestilskin where the bags most likely were. "What's the story between you two?"

Gold let out a large sigh knowing that if he had to tell Belle _everything_ about his relationship with the captain if he was going to be able to protect her properly this time.

"I need you to promise me Belle that you'll let me finish my story before you say anything." Gold said seriously looking into his love's blue eyes noticing that they had widened slightly at his words.

"Alright." Belle said softly preparing herself for the story, she knew Rumple's past better than most people yet still like with Baelfire some things the man kept to himself because they were too painful to talk about.

"I was married once to a woman named Milah and back then I was a very different person," Gold said starting his story as he thought about his ex-wife feeling a slight bit of rage run through him, Milah might be dead but she still caused a reaction in him. "Back then I was labeled a coward by my people and that caused Milah and myself to drift apart, no matter what I tried to do to stop it."

"One day Hook and his men sailed into our port and took simply her," Gold said recalling how one of the waitresses in the pub told him of his wife's fate. "I tried to get her back but Hook mocked me saying that if I beat him in a sword fight he would give her back."

Rumplestilskin paused and took another sip of his tea wishing that he could add something a little stronger to it. "I've known men like Hook my whole life, the moment I tried to fight him he would have killed me and I couldn't leave Baelfire all alone so I left her."

Belle wasn't sure what to say, she hadn't know Rumplestilskin in the past but for him to admit to abandoning his wife to pirates was a great shock.

"After I got my powers and Bea left me I became obsessed with finding my way to him which led me to the man who kidnapped you Smee." Gold said recalling the man who he had tied up in his basement and knowing that they were going to have another talk before he sent the hat wearing man back to his captain. "We met in a bar and after our meeting concluded Hook showed up, at the time I thought that he should pay for what he did thinking that perhaps if Milah hadn't been taken I might not have lost Bea."

"I followed him and when I revealed who I was to him I asked him for a duel just like he had with me all those years ago," Gold said thinking about the man's momentarily surprised face when he had revealed who he was before a mask of arrogance came up. "We fought and I almost killed him but someone suddenly yelled at me to stop, as it turns out Milah hadn't been kidnapped at all she left with Hook willingly even fell in love with the cur not caring one bit that she had abandoned Bea and I."

Belle felt sick and angry all of a sudden, she didn't know Milah but for the woman to abandon her husband and young son so carelessly made her the lowest of the low in Belle's book.

"Still though I was going to go through with killing Hook when Milah said that she had the item that I needed to find Bea so we all journeyed to Hook's ship," Gold said gripping his cup a little tighter thinking about his wife's arrogance as she tried to make a deal with him to save her thieving lover. "I confronted Milah about her leaving, she admitted that although she was miserable with her life the real reason she left was because she never loved me."

Belle tried to take Rumple's hands in her own but the man pulled away from her.

"I killed her," Gold said noticing that Belle's reaching hands stopped suddenly as he heard her take a sharp breath. "I tore the beating heart from her chest and crushed it because I was angry, then I took Hook's hand because he wouldn't give me what I wanted."

Gold looked up at Belle his sweet Belle and saw that there was fear in her eyes when she looked at him.

"I'm a monster Belle," Gold took the last sip of his tea before gathering his items and standing up. "I need you to stay away from me for a while alright and to not go anywhere alone when you're not protected by a barrier because I know Hook and he will kill you just to hurt me like I did him."

"Rumple -" Belle started to say.

"No Belle it's for the best," Gold interrupted giving the woman a small smile, this might be the last time they ever talked like this and as much as he wanted to be strong Rumplestilskin felt like his heart was breaking all over again. "I'm a selfish and possessive man Belle I know this better than anyone and it's taking all my willpower not to find a place to hide you but …."

Gold leaned down and placed a small kiss on Belle's forehead pulling away and making his way over to the door, turning around only once he reached it.

"I want to protect you properly this time Belle and if that means that I have to leave you I will." Gold said opening the door and simply walking out.

Belle just watched frozen as the door to her apartment closed softly leaving her alone, after a few minutes of letting everything sink in Belle just placed her head in her hands and started crying.

*Snow and Emma's Apartment*

Emma just watched Henry sleep from the door way, the boy had been so emotionally drained from today's events that he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

"Is he asleep?" David's voice said suddenly startling Emma slightly.

"Yeah," Emma said turning around and looking at her father who had the smallest of grins on his face. "You scared me."

"Sorry," David said not sounding at all sorry before nodding his head towards the kitchen. "Snow's making tea, do you want some?"

"Sure." Emma said feeling the need for a caffeine boost.

Making their way to the kitchen Emma found that her mother had also pulled out the oreo's, her favourite comfort food, and was munching on them before blushing slightly in embarrassment when she saw them.

"Sorry it's just been such a busy day and I suddenly got really hungry." Snow said closing the box and turning to put it back in the cupboard when suddenly Emma's hand stopped her.

"I'm all for oreo's right now," Emma said taking the box from her mother/ best friend's hand and opening it up grabbing a cookie from inside. "I still can't believe what happened today."

"Neither can I." Snow said softly taking a sip of her tea and reaching for another cookie.

"Sadly I can," David said holding his mug and looking down not wanting to meet the faces of his wife and daughter. "I kept a close eye on Regina after Daniel came back and saw her go to the barrier once."

"Do you think she would have …." Snow said trailing off and not even wanting to believe what her step-mother would have done.

"At the time no because of Henry and Archie but after what we said to her," David said feeling guilty about the situation, thinking back how difficult would it have been to look at Regina's memories also the woman would have done anything to prove her innocence given a chance. "I was so angry though when she disappeared that I just assumed she had gone into hiding."

"So did I." Emma and Snow said together.

"You'll be staying at Regina's then won't you?" Snow said looking at Emma seriously.

"Yeah gotta keep her safe from Cora until we can wake her up." Emma said nodding her head and grabbing another oreo.

"Do you think Cora will attack you when she realizes that you're staying there?" David asked honestly to his daughter.

"That's not really Cora's thing she'll most likely try to trick her way inside," Emma said thinking about Lancelot before having a figurative light bulb go off inside her head as she looked at her parents. "We need a code word."

"A code word?" Snow asked not understanding.

"Yeah so we know whose safe and who's Cora," Emma said clarifying what she meant and seeing her parent's eyes go wide, her idea was so simple that most people wouldn't even think about it and the ones who did would write it off just because it was so simple. "How about 'change' that way we can work it into a sentence without looking suspicious and will switch up the word daily so Cora can't catch on."

"You're acting like Henry." David said giving a small smile and seeing the brilliance in his daughters plan to protect Regina.

"He's a smart kid," Emma said looking up at the room where her and Regina's son was sleeping bringing her mug closer and mumbling softly. "And our only hope."

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Hope everyone liked Rumple telling Belle about Milah I wanted him to take David's earlier advice and be honest with Belle.**

**Somehow I can see Snow/ Mary Margret having a secret love for oreo's and hope everyone likes my plan in regards to protecting Regina.**

**Please leave me a review telling me what you thought they always make me happy.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

Chapter 5

Belle awoke suddenly to a hard knocking at her door, rubbing her eyes she glanced at the small clock next to her bed and was shocked to discover that it was so late in the afternoon. Getting up quickly and making her way to the door Belle opened it, making sure to place it in front of her body as a type of shield in case his visitor was of the unwanted variety.

Instead she found Ruby looking scared and relieved at the same time.

"Thank god you're ok I got worried when you didn't stop by for lunch," the young werewolf said walking into her apartment with ease; obviously she was the real Ruby and not a villain in disguise. "I was worried that those two Gold warned us about had gotten to you somehow."

"No I was asleep; I must not have heard my alarm." Belle said sheepishly having not heard anything since she fell asleep except Ruby's persistent pounding.

"Hey Belle are you ok?" Ruby suddenly asked suddenly looking at her friend with slight worry.

"Yes." Belle lied not wanting to trouble the woman with any unnecessary burdens.

"Belle I'm not be a detective but your red eyes, clothes and table say differently," Ruby said motioning to the table where the tea set still was, Belle had been in such a daze last night she must have forgotten to clean up or change for that matter before she went to bed and cried herself to sleep. "Spill or I'll just assume that Gold made you cry."

"Well you'd be half right there." Belle mumbled cursing herself a second later, often times she forgot about Ruby's enhanced senses.

"Ok you know what go take a shower then come back and tell me what you can," Ruby said pointing towards the direction where the small bathroom was. "Granny will forgive me for being a little late."

Belle felt so happy at the moment since the first time she had met Ruby in the diner the woman had been looking out for her, but not in an overprotective way more like the big sister Belle had always wanted truly she hadn't someone who treated her like this since Mulan and even then the warrior woman was only a brief but important friend to the librarian.

Nodding her head and taking off towards the bathroom Belle quickly shed her clothes and hopped into the warm shower feeling most of the tension inside her unwind, yet still a small lump of guilt remained in her stomach. As much as Belle didn't want to betray Rumplestilskin's trust in her the story he told her last night was different from when he told her about Baelfire it made her feel more confused than she ever before about the man.

Several minutes went by before Belle turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel making her way to her bedroom to change, once done she entered the same kitchen area and found a sandwich waiting for her well Ruby seemed to be putting away the last of yesterday's tea cups.

"Ruby you didn't have to do my dishes for me." Belle said feeling slightly guilty.

"Yeah well they were there and I heard the water go off so I figured hey why not," Ruby said shrugging her shoulder's lazily as she looked at her friend. "You look better."

"I feel better." Belle confessed sitting down at the table.

"Good," Ruby said sitting across from her putting on a mock stern face. "Now eat your sandwich."

"Yes mum." Belle said sarcastically rolling her eyes with a small smile on her face as she picked up the sandwich and took a small bite.

"I look awfully good for you mum then don't I." Ruby shot back cheekily adjusting her position acting like a model on a photoshoot.

"The prettiest mum in the world." Belle said taking another bite of her sandwich; she hadn't realized how hungry she was until after the first bite.

"Then as you honorary mum I have to ask," Ruby said face turning serious. "What happened when you left with Gold last night?"

Belle took a deep breath and looked at Ruby. "Please understand that Rumple trusts me to keep his secrets."

"I know but Belle this one you may need to talk to someone about," Ruby said honestly looking worried, the young werewolf had no love for the imp that was certain but he made Belle happy so until he screwed up Ruby knew she would just have to deal with him. "You slept in your clothes and missed work something you've **never** done before."

"I know just …." Belle said putting down her sandwich and taking a deep breath, as long as she didn't tell Ruby everything maybe Rumplestilskin could forgive her should he ever find out. "Just swear to me that what I tell you never leaves this room."

"Wolf's honour." Ruby said lifting two fingers imitating the classic scout's honour pose.

"Rumple was married once and she left him," Belle said as calmly as she could watching as Ruby's eyes grew larger at her words, obviously the idea of Rumple being married was a shock to everyone and not just her. "This was before his powers and the one she left with was -"

"Hook," Ruby interrupted sitting back in her seat now seeing why Rumplestilskin had the man's hand, he must have taken it as some sort of payment from the pirate. "No wonder he took the man's hand then … wait then what happened to his wife?"

"He killed her," Belle said looking straight into Ruby's eyes feeling numb as she said it. "Remember what he said about ripping people's heart out last night well when he confronted her about leaving she said that she never loved him and Rumple got angry."

"And he killed her," Ruby said quietly suddenly looking afraid as she started playing with one of her red streaks, something the werewolf always did when scared or nervous. "God Belle this is worse than I thought what are you going to do?"

"I still love him Ruby no matter what." Belle confessed just as shocked by her word as Ruby appeared to be.

"Even after finding out he killed his ex?" Ruby said dumbfounded.

"I've seen what people can do in anger Ruby," Belle said recalling Regina when she locked her up in the tower even though, the woman said that she was just a pawn to use against Rumple something about her words _'now he'll know what it's like to be lied to'_ always struck her as having a deeper motive to her anger. "And after hearing about her I understand now why he was so afraid to love me, he's scared of getting hurt again."

Ruby face was priceless it was a mix of shock and awe as she looked at Belle, when the effect wore off Ruby just placed her cheek in her hand and gave Belle a small smile. "I always assume nothing scared that imp."

"He acts all tough and scary on the outside Ruby but inside he's very sweet." Belle said remembering the rose he had suddenly presented to her at the Dark Castle.

"Yeah well if I hadn't seen you both making goo goo eyes over hamburgers I wouldn't believe you." Ruby said laughing slightly as she recalled the diner date from a couple of weeks ago.

"We - we did not make goo goo eyes." Belle said turning a slight shade of pink.

"Really tell that to the cartoon cupid that was flying over you two." Ruby teased silently reminding herself not to mention hearts for a while.

Belle just blushed a deeper shade of red as Ruby continued to tease her for the remainder of her visit about her relationship with Rumplestilskin.

*Gold's Shop*

Emma took a deep breath and pushed open the door to Gold's pawn shop hearing the familiar ring of the bell, there was also something else that the blonde couldn't describe as she walked in the shop a kind of fuzzy feeling when she passed through the door.

"Gold you here?" Emma called out to the empty shop.

The curtain to the back moved aside and revealed the pawnbroker who was looking at her curiously. "Miss Swan I must confess I didn't expect to see you so soon, I had thought you would be moved into Regina's before you came to ask me questions."

"Good to know I can still surprise you then," Emma said walking towards the counter trying to look serious, on the inside though Emma couldn't help but feel that was she was about to do was equivalent to reading someone's diary. "Henry and I are moving in after he's done school my parents are taking our stuff over now I just wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead then." Gold said placing both his hands on the table waiting for the sheriff's question.

"What you said to Blue last night about her leaving Regina to Cora," Emma said recalling the diner conversation between the two. "What did you mean?"

Gold gave her a blank look obviously he hadn't been expecting her to ask him about this either. "Are you sure you wish to know Miss Swan?"

"If it help's wake Regina up then yes." Emma said with pure resolve, it was more than just waking Regina up to have her help stop Cora what the former queen had said about Emma not knowing how to be a mother was right, she needed help and Regina was the only one who could do that.

"The fairies despite what people say are very selective with the people they help," Gold said recalling Bae and all the other royals that he had seen the fairies had help in his lifetime, Jiminy Cricket though was one of the few from a non-royal line that the Reul Ghorm had helped and that was only because she was always sticking her nose into his deals. "They say that they are there to help everyone but unless a person can in some way help them or later be of use to them they will just simply not appear to them."

"Did Regina ever ask for help?" Emma asked imagining a young Regina sitting at her window praying for help from the fairies but never getting any.

"Ohh yes many times," Gold said as if reading the blonde's mind recalling himself the numerous occasions where he would find Regina sitting under her apple tree and silently cry begging for the fairies to help her, had it not been for the protection spell Cora had cast upon her child he would have gladly offered his instead perhaps even for free. "I'm older then I look Miss Swan and ever since Cora cheated me out of Regina I kept an eye on her, I saw her ask for help when her mother would severely punish her for simply being a curious child yet because of who Cora was and Regina's station no one ever came."

"Her station?" Emma echoed not understanding, according to Snow Regina's father had been a baron.

"Regina's father Henry was once a prince but his kingdom fell soon after he married Cora to Midas," Gold explained recalling King Xavier who had been a cruel man who lived in luxury well his kingdom suffered, happily though it seemed his son Henry grew to be a better man then his father could ever have hoped to have been. "Who would have wanted a fallen monarch's daughter?"

"How bad was it?" Emma asked seriously wanting nothing more than to confront the Blue Fairy about what the man had just told her.

"Since you are already aware of young Daniel I will tell you about another," Gold said thinking about the many time's Cora had simply killed or banished someone Regina had grown to care for so that her daughter might adopt that foolish _'love is weakness'_ ideology, Rumplestilskin might be the Dark One but even he knew that his power partly came from deals those in love made. "You are aware of Regina's love for baking correct?"

"Yeah." Emma said recalling the muffins Regina had given her when she first came to Storybrooke, they had been delicious Emma often thought in those early days that if Regina ever got bored with politics she could make quite a successful business with her baking.

"Her godmother Diana taught her that, the woman was not only the cook for Regina's family but also Cora's childhood friend," Gold said recalling the woman he had observed many times when he had been spying, she was always so full of life and often experimenting with her baking trying to create newer and more delicious recipes. "However Cora did not like the idea of her daughter doing servants work so one night killed Diana the same way she did Daniel, thankfully Regina was not there to witness the act but she did discover the woman's body the next day when she went downstairs."

"God I had no idea Cora was such a monster." Emma said feeling more protective of the sleeping woman.

"The truly sad thing is that Regina only started baking because Cora would constantly compliment Diana on her apple pies," Gold said having once stolen one of the pies himself, they truly had been delicious and full of love. "Regina wanted to make her one as a birthday gift."

***Author's Note***

**I like the idea of Belle and Ruby having a sisterly relationship and I think that Belle needed someone to talk to after hearing about Milah.**

**Hope everyone liked Gold and Emma's talk and a little more on Regina's fictional background of growing up with Cora.**

**King Xavier though is an actual character coming up and was Henry's father, thank you Once Upon A Time Wiki slight spoiler to that episode if anyone's curious it's called 'The Miller's Daughter' so were probably going to learn more about Regina's parents when it air's.**

**Finger's crossed.**

**Please leave me a review telling me what you thought; it always makes me happy to know what everyone thinks.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 6

Emma and Henry drove to Regina's house in silence, normally Emma would have waited at the bus stop for her son but given the circumstances she felt that picking him up was a safer option, pulling her beetle into Regina's drive way Emma noticed that her father's pickup was still in the driveway meaning that her parents obviously hadn't left yet or they were waiting for her and Henry to come over.

'_Good,'_ Emma thought turning of her car and seeing the bright side of her parents still being at the former mayor's home. _'Now we can talk without me having to try through potential Cora territory.'_

Getting out of the car Emma made sure to grab the take out bag from Granny's that she had picked up for dinner from the backseat before following Henry as the boy ran quickly to the door and trying to open it only to find the door locked.

"Why's the door locked?" Henry asked looking at Emma curiously.

"Precaution kid," Emma said softly as she knocked loudly on the door, a few moments later Snow appeared looking at them with hard eyes. "Hey can we come in Henry needs to change."

Snow's eyes widened slightly in recognition of the code word before she looked at her grandson who just smiled up at her sheepishly. "It's just a little paint I still don't understand why I need to change."

Earlier that morning when Henry had woken up and been told about the code word idea by his birth mother he had looked at her with such pride because, as he told her, she was taking extreme precaution to make sure that his adoptive mother was protected at all costs.

"When we find Regina I don't want her coming after me because all of your clothes look like you just went ten rounds at a paintball range." Emma said wanting to make sure that if Cora was spying on them from somewhere she would think that they didn't know where her daughter was.

Walking inside Emma found that although the house was warmer not much about the place had changed, turning around Emma looked at her mother curiously. "Did you and David clean this whole place or something?"

"There was no need," Snow said closing the door quickly making sure to scan the yard one last time as she did. "Charming said that after we fell through the portal Regina spent a lot of here so aside from some dust there was nothing much to do except explore."

"You snooped through my mom's stuff?" Henry said sounding in awe of his grandparents actions Emma of course had a feeling why and the simple answer was because it's Regina's stuff.

"Not snooped investigated." Snow said trying to make her and her husband's actions sound better.

"Henry why don't you get changed and then we can talk ok," Emma said to her son took who gave one last look at his grandmother and taking off upstairs to do as he was told surprisingly with little argument as Emma looked back at her mother. "Where's David?"

"Putting what we found in the dining room." Snow said as Emma came to realize that her mother looked exhausted more so than she had the day before.

"So I'm guessing that diner will come with storytelling." Emma said lifting up the bags of food giving them a little shake.

"You have a story to tell also I take it?" Snow asked smiling slightly silently glad that she didn't have to make dinner tonight.

"Plus a rumour," Emma said looking at her mother seriously shifting the bags to that one of her hands was free to place on Snow's shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze. "Why don't I reheat the food and bring it in to the dining room well you sit down ok."

"Ok." Snow said giving a grateful smile to her daughter as she turned and headed to the dining room.

Heading to the kitchen with Emma found David nursing a glass of water eyes immediately falling to the large bags in his daughter's hands, obviously the man was hungry.

"No sneaking food until its heated Charming," Emma warned her father as she put the bags on the island and started pulling out the food sneaking a look at the man who looked pitifully at the fries as she pulled them out. "By the way you're a very brave man _investigating_ through Regina's stuff."

"Let's hope Regina has mercy when she finds out," David said giving an uneasy smile as he grabbed some plates from Regina's cupboards in hopes of speeding up the process so that he could eat sooner. "After we got here and Snow tried to wake Regina up -"

"Whoa," Emma said suddenly interrupting the man looking shocked. "I thought they hated each other?"

"I think it's less hatred now and more they can't forgive each other," David said dumping all the fries into onto a large plate and popping it into the microwave. "Anyway after it didn't work I thought it best to try to find something to best understand Regina."

"And?" Emma asked placing Henry and Snow's chicken strips on a separate plate from her and David's burgers.

"Journals," David said taking out the fires thinking about the rows of simple black books he and Snow had found in a hidden bookcase in Regina's office. "We think Regina wrote in them every day when everyone else cursed."

"That's a lot of books I bet." Emma said trying to imagine the sheer number of volumes that would add up to as she handed David the burgers.

"I stopped counting after 20," David confessed thinking of the books he and Snow had removed from the office earlier. "What about you anything on your end?"

"No word about a pirate or wannabe noble woman but I do come bearing gifts from Rumplestilskin," Emma said reaching into her jacket and pulling out a small crystal ball which David looked at suspiciously. "He says that not only will it strengthen Regina's own barrier but one drop of a person's blood on this and the barrier will recognize us as safe."

"So it's like the opposite of his barrier spell," David said handing the now heated burgers to Emma and popping in the chicken fingers trying his best to understand the magic ball, truthfully the area of magic was never his expertise give him a sword any day. "It only let's in the people whose blood it's absorbed."

"Yup apparently has 'amusing', his word not mine," Emma said placing the crystal in the fruit bowel that was in the center of the island so that it was safe from any accidents. "As our code word idea is Cora would eventually figure it out so this is insurance."

"And I'll bet he's already placed some of his blood on it." David said scowling slightly as he looked at the ball as he popped in the last of the food.

"'_As a demonstration of course dearie'_" Emma quoted in a fake accent going over to the fridge and grabbing some water bottles from the crisper.

Once the food was heated Emma and David made their way into the dining room, once there Emma saw what David had been talking about there had to be at least 50 journals piled at one end of the table. Snow was sitting right next to the pile reading one of them not even noticing when her family entered the dining room until David placed a hand on her shoulder startling her.

Sensing the impending tears from her mother Emma quickly excused herself and went to go get Henry. Walking upstairs and to her son's room Emma wasn't surprised to find him not there so she simply walked down the hall towards Regina's room hearing a soft voice as she stood in front of the door.

"- see Belle at the library tomorrow and get some mystery books to read to you mom," Henry's voice came from inside the room. "I doubt you want to hear any stories from the Enchanted Forest and I know how much you love Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christy."

Emma gently opened the door and walked in seeing her son holding something in his arms as he sat on a chair next to Regina talking to her softly. Looking at the sleeping mayor it also seemed to Emma that investigating wasn't the only thing her parents had done, gone was the red silk blouse and dress pants the mayor had been dressed now the woman was in a simple yet modest purple nightgown with a blanket carefully placed over her legs, even Regina's harsh make up had been removed making the woman look …. softer than Emma had ever seen her before.

"Hey kid dinner's ready." Emma said interrupting the scene before her.

"Alright just a sec," Henry said sadly taking the light blue blanket he had been holding and placing it gently over Regina giving her a quick kiss on the forehead as he stood up. "Just so you don't get cold ok mom."

The pair walked downstairs in silence, when they came to the dining room Emma noticed that Snow's eyes were slightly red, deciding not to comment for the moment she started eating wondering who would break the silence first.

"What are these?" Henry asked suddenly looking at the journals curiously and startling everyone from their thoughts.

"Journals," David said looking at the books. "We found them behind the bookshelf in Regina's study; we think she wrote them during the curse."

"We thought it could give us insight as to her time here." Snow said explaining to Henry why they had removed the items before he had a chance to ask.

"Good thinking." Emma said also wanting to take a look and better understand the woman she shared a son with.

"David also tells me that you went and saw Rumplestilskin today Emma." Snow said looking at her daughter as Emma suddenly felt like the spotlight had come down on her.

"And you didn't take me with you?" Henry said sounding a little miffed that he hadn't been included.

"You were in school as I recall kid," Emma said explaining why she hadn't taken him, well one of the reason why. "Yeah we talked about Regina, Cora and the fairies."

"What did you find out?" David asked wondering how the fairies played into the conversation Emma and Rumplestilskin shared.

Emma felt conflicted she knew that Henry was there only shot of waking Regina up but to what would Regina say when she woke up and found out that her son knew about her horrible childhood, after a few moments of weighing the pros and cons in her head Emma decided to take that it was best for everyone if she told everyone now and deal with Regina's reaction later.

"Daniel wasn't the first person Regina loved that Cora killed," Emma said deciding to use Daniel's death as a silent way of sharing with her parents how this person had died. "Her godmother Diana was also killed by Cora for teaching Regina how to bake."

Everyone was stunned into silence so Emma decided to use this opportunity to drop the other bombshell. "Also Regina is according to Gold is a fallen monarch, so that's why no matter how much she asked the fairies wouldn't help her."

"How is that possible?" Snow asked knowing what the term meant and not understanding how it fit Regina. "I mean no kingdom's fell after Regina was born?"

"Henry her dad was the son of some Xavier guy and his kingdom fell to Midas not long after her parents married so this would probably be before she was born." Emma explained to her parents and son.

"You also mentioned a rumour when you came in," Snow said changing the subject suddenly. "What is it?"

"Well according to the people Regina didn't kill Archie, she kidnapped him," Emma said sharing the rumour that she had heard people whispering in the diner. "Everyone's motives are different though some say that she's gone evil again only she's now trying to be the victim, others say it's a ploy to brainwash him so that he'll help her keep Henry."

"If Regina did go evil again the first thing she would do is turn those people into toads." David said trying to lighten the heavy mood that had settled over the table.

"Nah I think she'd shoot them a dirty look and walk away head held high," Emma said looking at Henry who gave her and David a big smile, she knew what her father was trying to and decided to play along. "Regina would never jeopardize losing Henry I know that now."

"Speaking of Henry we found this on Regina's desk," Snow said reaching over and grabbing a different looking book from the rest of the journals and holding it up. "I think it's for you Emma."

Putting her fork down Emma took the book and opened it to the first page; Henry's picture was dead center with Regina's elegant writing above it. "'Henry Mills a Guide for New Mother's' …. Regina made a guide about Henry."

"I looked through it," Snow said looking truly happy for the first time since they had gotten home. "It tells us we might need to know from his favourite foods and how to make them to how to best deal with him trying to weasel out of bedtime."

"God where was this book when you both were gone I could have used it." David said thinking back to all the times he would get calls from Henry's teachers saying that his grandson had fallen asleep in class because he had stayed up late the night before.

"Hey I don't try to weasel out of going to sleep," Henry said looking out at his family crossing his arms and pouting. "I just hate going to bed so early."

Everyone just laughed as Emma put the book down deciding to read it later.

*Storybrooke Forest*

Cora surveyed her work, it had taken much magic and a little imagination but finally she finished building the perfect house for her and her daughter to live in together, once she collected her of course.

"Don't worry Regina," Cora said out loud to know one. "Mother's coming."

* * *

***Author's Note***

**I can't imagine Regina not writing down her thoughts during the curse as sort of a victory memoire.**

**I based the Henry guide book off of the quote Regina said to Emma about her being a mother all of five minutes in The Cricket Game.**

**Cora will be returning soon and I might put Hook in the next chapter but don't get your hopes up it's just an idea of far.**

**Don't forget to leave me a review telling me what you thought; it always makes me happy to know what you the reader think about my latest chapter.**

**PS. Any readers of my other story Little God of Mischief please don't forget to check out my poll.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 7

Hook watched the crocodile through his telescope as the man moved around, what he assumed, was the kitchen of his home. It had been two weeks since he and Cora had journeyed to this land and still there was no sign of Smee or anyone he could use to hurt the crocodile, there had been a young brunette lass he saw leave the man's shop soon after he first left his ship but he hadn't seen her since meaning that she obviously wasn't important to his prey, not to say that after killing the man he wouldn't be paying her a visit.

"I thought we had an agreement Hook," Cora's voice suddenly rang out surprising the pirate into looking behind him and seeing the Queen of Hearts in all her glory standing behind him looking displeased. "One of us stays on the ship at all time to make sure our _cargo_ doesn't escape."

"You'd been gone nearly three days I was starting to get bored." Hook explained reminding her of her own disappearing act.

"Then entertain yourself with the bug." Cora said not seeing any reason this man had to once again disobey her direct orders and do something that could have spoiled everything; this wasn't like the beanstalk incident, if either of them were seen now then that Snow's daughter would know Regina was innocent of the bugs _death_ and she would lose her only chance of getting her daughter back.

"That's lost its appeal." Hook said leaning against the roof of the building, making sure that no one below would notice him should they suddenly decide to look up.

"Really?" Cora said skeptically to the pirate raising a single eyebrow. "You have what we need."

"Not yet," Hook said truthfully knowing that there was no way he would be able to lie to the woman. "However since you weren't here to heal the bug I had to stop trying unless that is you wanted him dead."

"Not yet," Cora said tightening her grip on her parasol more as her eyes hardened slightly. "He has to suffer more, they all do."

"I always find you amusing Cora," Hook said giving his most dashing smile to the woman who looked at him curiously silently ordering him to continue. "You hurt your daughter in the worst ways just to show how much you love her."

"I have always acted in the best interest of my daughter," Cora said firmly knowing what she was doing was right, these people could say that they forgave her precious Regina all they want but she knew from watching Snow White and her daughter back in the Enchanted Forest that given the first opportunity they would turn on her daughter which is exactly what she had been counting on. "And I will continue to make sure she is safe from harm until my dying breath."

Hook felt a shiver of fear go up his spine suddenly, whatever Cora had in store for Storybrooke and Regina wouldn't be pretty but as long as it didn't interfere with his crocodile hunt he would stay out of her way.

*Granny's Diner*

After her parents had left the night before Emma had simply cleaned up and set up her stuff in Regina's guest room placing the guide book to her son on the dresser next to the bed before letting Henry give her a tour of the house.

Emma had to admit that aside from the house being a bit devoid of colour Regina had a beautiful house that even after everything that happened had a warm lived in feeling to it. By far though Regina's entertainment room was her favourite place in the whole house, it had originally taken Emma by surprise to more than just the average TV and entertainment system in the room it also came equipped with books, art supplies, bored games and shockingly a karaoke machine that made Emma wish to see what a typical family night between the mayor and Henry had been like before everything changed.

"Sheriff Swan." A woman's voice said from beside Emma causing the woman to turn and see Kathryn Nolan.

"Kath-" Emma said stopping herself half way remembering that the woman like only a few other's had gone back to her original name once the curse had broken. "No sorry Abigail how are you?"

"Alright," Abigail said standing there awkwardly holding a cup of coffee. "You?"

"Good," Emma said blushing as suddenly realized that Abigail wanted to sit down but was waiting for an invitation. "Please have a seat."

"Thank you." Abigail said sitting across from the other blonde gripping her coffee cup a little tighter than before.

"So …. what can I do for you?" Emma asked not beating around the bush and getting straight to the point.

"I actually came to talk to you about Regina," Abigail said her eyes scanning the diner for any potential eavesdroppers before looking back at Emma. "You said at the meeting that you wanted stories about her."

"Yes," Emma said a little enthusiastically causing the people closest to the booth to look at them curiously before she lowered her voice. "I mean yeah we do."

"I was her friend during the curse," Abigail said looking into her coffee looking very sad suddenly. "I know she was using me and had me kidnapped to frame Snow but I can't help but feel sorry for her."

"Why?" Emma asked surprised that unlike so many others Abigail didn't seem to hold a grudge against the former mayor for what she did.

"Back when David and I were having problems Regina was the one I talked to," Abigail said thinking about the talks she and Regina had in her office and the Nolan's kitchen smiling softly at the memories. "She was the one who told me to fight for him …. you know I even hugged her once, Regina just tensed up almost like she didn't know what to do."

Emma just looked at the woman and could see the pain in her eyes before it clicked just why Abigail had come to talk to her, even though Regina had hurt her Abigail still wanted to be Regina's friend. "What I say doesn't leave this table alright."

"Alright." Abigail said looking a little unsure suddenly.

"Regina didn't have a great life growing up I think her mother took away the people she even remotely cared for so that Regina would depend solely on her." Emma said telling her theory to the woman who just gasped slightly in shock.

"That's horrible." Abigail said bringing one hand up to her mouth.

"Now that I told you that I want you to answer something for me." Emma said looking at the woman seriously

"Okay." Abigail said giving a small nod.

"When she wakes up do you want to talk to Regina," Emma said watching as the woman suddenly looked uncomfortable again. "I'm not blind Abigail I can see it in your eyes you're unsure about how you feel about Regina."

"It's that obvious huh?" Abigail said giving a small laugh and taking a sip of her coffee. "I don't know anymore, part of me thinks about my time as Kathryn and know that Regina was honestly really trying to be my friend but then I think about how she cursed everyone and hurt me and I …."

"Get confused." Emma said finishing the woman's sentence.

"Yeah." Abigail said playing with the sleeves of her shirt's nervously.

"I think for Henry Regina was honestly trying to change," Emma said honestly wanting to make sure that the former princess thought long and hard about what she wanted to do. "If it wasn't for him Regina wouldn't even have wanted to change."

"So I should talk to her." Abigail said looking at the woman silently pleading for help with her moral dilemma.

"It's your choice," Emma said watching the other blond slump forward a little in defeat. "But for the sake of closure maybe for both of you, you should try."

After Emma's words the pair just sat there in silence thinking about Regina until Abigail, realizing the time, left saying that she had some wedding errands to run, as she was leaving Emma never noticed Granny and Ruby giving her odd looks, it seemed that the sheriff had forgotten just how good a wolf's hearing was.

*Regina's House*

Henry opened the door quickly kicking his shoes off and ripped off his coat at full speed before running to the kitchen, the boy was intent on grabbing as many supplies as he could before he made his way to his mom's room so that he could read to her all of Sherlock Holmes many adventures.

Putting his backpack on the island and grabbing a large bowel Henry went over the pantry and opened it pulling out all sorts of snacks. Yesterday after the tour he gave Emma Henry saw that his favourite snacks were still in the pantry and thought that it was odd for his mom to still be buying his favourite cheese crackers and cookies until Emma pointed that they were probably for whenever he ever came over, that comment had caused Henry to feel both happy and guilty at the same time.

After the bowl was full and he had a couple of bottles of water Henry walked over to where the books were taking one look outside at his mom's apple tree and seeing something or rather someone odd standing in front to it. Putting the items on the counter Henry walked slowly to the back door and opened it, making sure to stay fully inside the house.

"Excuse me," Henry called out to the woman in the odd dress as she turned to look at him appearing slightly surprised at his appearance. "What are you doing?"

"This apple tree what happened to it?" The woman asked gazing back at the dead looking tree sadly.

"No one knows," Henry said getting the feeling that he shouldn't tell the stranger about what had really happened to his mom's prized apple tree. "It's been like that since my mom disappeared."

"Your mom?" The woman said pining Henry down suddenly with her eyes, try as he might Henry couldn't place where he had seen them before. "Her name wouldn't happen to be Regina, would it?"

"That's right," Henry said feeling very small all of a sudden watching nervously as the woman slowly moved closer to the backdoor stopping just a few feet from him.

"Who are you," Henry said trying to sound brave, he knew that his mom's barrier would keep this woman out of his house but still a nagging voice in the back of his head told him that wouldn't be enough. "How do you know my mom?"

"Such a curious boy," The woman said sweetly giving him an amused smile. "You must be Henry."

"That's right now who are you." Henry said standing his ground and not backing down from the woman.

"Just someone's who's looking for her lost treasure," The woman said glancing past Henry and into the house for a second before looking back at the boy. "You wouldn't happen to know where Regina is now do you."

"No," Henry lied looking at the woman seriously. "My mom's been missing for about a week."

"No idea at all." The woman said raising an eyebrow.

"She has a cabin up north by the lake but we haven't gotten a chance to search there yet." Henry said trying to figure out where he had seen this woman before.

"You're searching for Regina?" The woman said curiously giving Henry a knowing smile.

"My mom's in trouble," Henry said thinking back to the man hunt Emma and Charming had organized when his mom had first disappeared.

"I see," The woman said giving Henry one last look over. "Henry thank you for the information it has been a pleasure meeting you but I must be going now."

The woman gave a small bow, like something Henry used to see ladies do in his mother's Victorian romance movies do before a cloud of purple smoke started to rise up from the of her dress; before it completely covered her the strange woman's dark eyes captured his again as she gave him a proud smile and Henry realized just who she was.

"I hope to see you again soon Henry." She said before completely disappearing.

Henry just stood there holding on to the door handle tightly as he tried to stop shaking; he had heard Emma and Snow describing her before and couldn't believe how stupid he was for not seeing it before, the Victorian dress, the fear that gripped you in her presence and lastly the complete focus on his mom.

Henry knew then that he had just met Cora, his adoptive grandmother and the woman everyone was so afraid of and realized just how much trouble they were in.

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Abigail's tricky to write since I haven't seen her in a while.**

**Hope everyone like Cora in this chapter I wanted to do something with Henry alone and meeting her for the first time and thought that Cora coming to check out her daughter's place and getting distracted by the apple tree would work.**

**Don't forget to leave me a review telling me what you thought; it always makes me happy to know what you the reader think about my latest chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 8

Emma waited impatiently outside the door trying to balance the bags containing food that Snow had sent with her in her arms. Knowing her daughters inability to cook Snow had decided to take the day off work and spend most of it in the kitchen cooking as many meals as she could for Emma to take over to Regina's so that she and Henry didn't starve. Now Emma was trying hard to balance the bags containing said meals and the peach pie David had brought home as a surprise so Emma would have an excuse to use the new code word in her hands without falling over.

Seeing the drape at the side of the door move Emma put on her most grateful smile. "Hey kid can I get a little …"

Emma trailed off suddenly and almost dropped the bags when she saw the kitchen knife in her son's hand, the knife that was currently pointing right at the Saviour.

"When I showed up at your apartment in Boston what did I ask for?" Henry demanded the knife shaking slightly in his hands.

"Henry what's-" Emma started ask before getting cut off.

"Tell me!" Henry cried out loudly the knife shaking even more now.

Emma thought back to that moment trying to act as calmly as possible as to not spook her son, who currently reminded her of a cornered animal. "A juice box, you asked for a juice box."

"Get inside quickly." Henry said ushering in his mother as he started scanning the yard behind her in case Cora decided to jump out and try to follow in after the blonde, once the door closed Henry let the knife drop to floor and dove into his biological mother's arm.

Emma, who thankfully anticipated this action and put the bags down, brought her arms around the boy letting him shake noticing that he was trying to say something to her but she couldn't quite understand what they were since the words were being muffled by her blouse. What Emma did know was that whatever had scared Henry had to do with Regina, the former mayor was the only other person, besides herself, that Emma had ever met that could make Henry lose control of his emotions like this.

Looking down at her son Emma put on a brave face and kneeled in front of him cupping his cheeks so that she was looking straight into his eyes. "Henry what's wrong?"

"Ma I saw her," Henry said quickly arms flailing out as he pointed towards something behind Emma. "She was outside at mom's tree and she talked to me an-"

"Henry slow down ok now do what I do ready breath in through you nose," Emma said sucking in a large breath through her nose watching as her son mimicked her before exhaling through her mouth a moment later. "And out, ok now who was here?"

Mother and son repeated the process a few more times, with each breath Henry's become less tense looking.

"Cora," Henry said finally taking another deep breath trying to stop his heartbeat from speeding up again as he said the woman's name. "At least I think it was her, she was wearing a dark blue dress like something out of an old movie and was she really focused on finding my mom."

"Are you ok?" Emma said urgently as she started checking Henry over for any injuries. "You're not hurt she didn't -"

"Ma she never came into the house," Henry said smiling a lightly, Emma was acting so much like his mom right now it was funny. "I did however maybe sentheronawildgoodchase."

It took Emma a minute to figure out what Henry had said exactly and though the sheriff would deny it later the image of her eleven year old son tricking the most powerful person she had ever come across made her go bug eyed. "How?"

"Well mom took me camping once to this cabin up north," Henry said fidgeting slightly with his sleeves trying to avoid Emma's eyes. "And I knew I had to buy us some time so …."

Emma simply stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around her son kissing the top of his head. "That is the bravest and stupidest thing ever, why didn't you call me?"

"I'm sorry but it all happened so fast and I tried calling the office but you had already left." Henry explained recalling the machine he had gotten when he tried to phone the sheriff's office after Cora had disappeared.

"Just promise me that next time you see her you'll hide ok." Emma said eyes' silently pleading down at Henry praying that he would listen to her, Cora was dangerous and Emma didn't want her son to become caught in the eventual cross fire.

"I … I can't promise that," Henry said looking up at Emma with pure determination in his eyes that reminded the blonde so much of her mother when they had been trapped in the Enchanted Forest trying to get home. "If she comes after my mom I'm going to fight her."

"Are you sure you're not related to Regina, cause your acting just as stubborn as she is," Emma said giving a big sigh at the end, if she couldn't stop Henry from fighting Cora maybe she could figure out a way to do it on her terms before she realized something that had been bugging her since she came over. "Hey what's up with calling me ma?"

"Well I can't call both you and mom mom," Henry said shrugging his shoulders lazily. "And I figured since ma is part of your name it would work."

Emma couldn't help but smile at her son's attempts not to cut either of his mother's out of his life, it might take some getting used to but Emma knew she would adjust to the new name eventually.

"Ok here's what we're going to," Emma said handing her son the peach pie and noticing that his eyes sparkled when he realized what it was. "Snow sent over food and instructions on how to heat it so how about you and I have a quick dinner and spend the rest of the night camping out in Regina's bedroom reading or watching movies."

"Ok," Henry said excitedly loving the indoor camping idea especially if it would give him the chance to make sure his adoptive mother stayed. "Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes?"

"I watched the movies, does that count?" Emma asked not having been much of a book person growing up.

"No," Henry said simply as he followed his ma to the kitchen. "Mom says that movie versions are good but nothing beats a classic book."

Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile at the comment; it was so Regina to say something like that.

*Later That Night*

Emma quietly stacked the dishes and made her way out of the master bedroom taking one last look at the bed and smiling as she watched Henry snuggle closer into Regina's side, it made the Saviour want to wish she had a camera so she could capture the moment. Quietly making her way downstairs Emma put the dishes in the sink and turned on the water before grabbing the phone and dialing a familiar number, on the third ring her father picked up. "Blanchard- Nolan residence."

"David its Emma we have a problem." Emma said seriously getting straight to the point as she heard her father suck in a sharp breath over the phone.

"Emma what's wrong? Are you and Henry ok?" David said anxiously, Emma could also hear Snow in the background trying to get information from her husband.

"We're fine but listen can you put me on speaker or have Snow pick up another phone," Emma said calmly a few seconds later Emma heard a small click followed by both her mother and father rapidly asking her questions. "Ok you two same as Henry breath in through your nose, hold it now let it out slowly through your mouth."

"Emma was it Cora?" Snow asked first trying to sound calm.

"Yeah she was here when Henry came home," Emma said shutting off the water and picking up a sponge starting to clean, if Cora was watching the house Emma would make sure that the woman didn't get any hints of suspicious activity.

As soon as the words left her mouth Snow and Charming started their rapid talking again, all Emma could make out was a few words like 'coming over' and 'guarding', if the couple did come over then it might tip Cora off that they knew where Regina was and without a barrier around their home Emma didn't want to put her parents in danger.

"Hey hey don't make me use the breathing trick again ok Henry's safe," Emma said using her sheriff's voice as she tried to calm her parents down. "He's a little shaken but safe, we both are."

"What happened?" David asked sounding very worried.

"From what I got Henry came home and found Cora in the backyard," Emma said telling her parents what Henry had told her. "They talked for a minute before he sent her to this cabin up north Regina owns."

"Why didn't he call you or us when he saw her?" David pressed using his father voice this time.

"She was here one minute and gone the next and I was gone when he tried to call," Emma explained covering for her son but knowing that it was mostly her own fault she had forgotten to set up the phones so that any calls to the sheriff's office were forwarded to her cell phone. "Look I'm going to see Gold tomorrow and warn him but I need a favour."

"Emma you don't even need to ask," David said warmly as Snow echoed him. "Just tell us what do you need."

"Can you pick up Henry from school tomorrow, we don't know when Cora will be back and I would prefer one of us is with him at all times." Emma said afraid of what the woman would try when she got to the cabin and find it empty.

"No problem." David said simply causing some of the tension to ease from Emma's shoulders.

"Now that we have that settled Snow you want to hear something funny?" Emma said finishing the last of the dishes and placing it in the drying rack.

"Sure." Snow said curiously, Emma could just picture her mother sitting on her bed eyes wide like a little girl waiting for her present.

"According to Henry Regina has a weakness for mocking Disney and secretly owns a copy of Snow White," Emma said hearing her mother stifle a snort of laughter on the other end a second later. "Think if we give them the song the dwarfs will sing Heigh-Ho for us?"

Emma just heard her parents laughing on the other end of the phone before she settled into small an easy Coraless conversation with them about their days.

*Netherworld*

Regina just stood in the centre red room watching the fire's dance around her, the fire never once touched her and she never sought to touch it choosing instead to watch the destructive element hypnotized by its dance thinking about her time here. Originally she had been in a never ending hallway or mirrors watching her worst fears and regrets play out before her when she had stumbled across a rather large hole in the floor and jumped in hoping to escape the visions.

Watching the flames now Regina couldn't help but feel guilty; this was where she had accidentally sent Henry, where David journeyed to give their message to Snow.

Snow

If Regina could go back now she might have reconsider sending her step-daughter here in the first place, Gold had been right when he said it was between heaven in hell, still Regina couldn't help but wish that the warmth she felt at her side now was from her real body and not the flames twirling around her.

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Hoped everyone enjoyed Henry's little freak out moment and Emma being so calm about it my favourite part about writing the chapter was the breathing trick that I got to use twice.**

**Regina's Netherworld scene was actually a suggestion from Whyler S so big round of applause to her.**

**I have a question for everyone reading I want to put Baelfire/ Neal in the story what would you all think of him just showing up in Storybrooke hmmm?**

**Don't forget to leave me a review telling me what you thought; it always makes me happy to know what you the reader think about my latest chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, as much as I would love to.**

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Chapter 9

_Day 1_

_I won; I finally beaten Snow and her band of friends, now I get what I deserve._

_Now I get my happy ending._

_Day 2_

_It seems this new land I've brought us to doesn't have kingdoms just a single ruler called '_mayor'_, it is an odd title I'll admit but since there is only one mayor I do not have to worry about fighting another in order to keep my position like I did in the Enchanted Forest._

_This new land also has no magic, part of me is glad for that since I don't have to worry about Rumplestilskin using his tricks to try to come after me to take what is rightfully mine yet at the same time I have no magic to protect myself, it makes me feel like a child again under my mother's _gentle_ care unable to raise a finger to stop her._

_Day 5_

_I saw Snow today for the first time it took me a while to find her since unlike me everyone's names have changed. Snow now goes by Mary-Margret Blanchard she's a teacher at the local school, it's fitting when I think about it perhaps in this world Snow can teach children the value of keeping their promises._

_I must confess though it was odd seeing her again though without either of us trying to kill the other, I watched her through these strange gates telling the children to be careful as they played and I felt that familiar anger come back to me, it was this anger that kept me going for all those years after Daniel's death but now I find though that it's not quite as boiling as it once was no its …. simmered. _

_God though I think if Snow still had that long hair of hers I would have walked towards her chopped it off right there, I always hated that hair Leopold used to say that there was no one more beautiful than his darling Snow who so resembled his dead wife._

_Why, why did he always have to say that? Was I not beautiful also, I know I could never have replaced his wife just as he could never have replaced Daniel but perhaps we could have at least been companions or even friends but no I was never going to be as good as she was, never as beautiful or as kind, I could never be as good a mother to Snow as she had been._

_I hate her almost as much as I hate Snow yet I didn't even know her._

_I need to find my Huntsman; I need to feel loved again._

_Day 10_

_Where's Maleficent? Where's my friend? Why is it that I can find everyone I need to in this stupid town but her, the one who knew me best, and the only one who can understand what I've been through._

_Day 18_

_I broke down today and went to see Rumplestil- no he goes by Gold now, now first name just Gold which seems right somehow since I can imagine no other name that suits him. _

_I went and saw him in his little shop to as if he knew where Maleficent was and that stupid imp acted like he didn't know who I was talking about, we both know that he hasn't lost his memories so why won't he just be honest with me for once and stop playing word games me._

"_Have you never heard the roars coming from beneath Storybrooke's library Madam Mayor?"_

_**What does that even mean?**_

_Day 30_

_I've been here nearly a month now and have found that I've settled into a routine, unlike when I was queen in the Enchanted Forest being mayor is not difficult, I look over documents and if I feel they are important I sign off them. _

_Today I signed off on something called a playground for the children; I decided that it shall be built near the water so that when the summer seasons come those families who stayed together or were put together when the curse was cast will have a place to make good memories. _

_Day 56_

_I found Maleficent._

_Day 57_

_God Mal I'm sorry! I'm so sorry but there's nothing I can do, we have no magic so I can't change you back. _

_Dammit Mal! Why did you have go into your dragon form at that moment, you must have seen the smoke you must have known it was coming so WHY!_

_Day 67_

_I have to seal you beneath the library Mal I'm so sorry but you nearly burned Grace to death today because she went into the caves to explore and almost found you._

_Forgive me Mal but I'm contacting Snow's dwarf friend Grumpy tomorrow to deal the entrance to the cave as soon as possible, I know that there is still the secret elevator in the library but as long as I tell no one about it, no one will be in danger._

_I might have brought them here by force but this is my town and they are my citizens now and I will protect them._

_Day 75_

_The entrance has been sealed for a couple of days now but I can't get Maleficent out of my head, I don't even know whether I'm grieving her being gone or feeling guilty about what I did._

_I remember the first time I saw her, I had only been married to Leopold for a short time before we were invited to this stupid party celebrating Aurora's birthday when suddenly she burst into the grand hall asking if she were late, Maleficent was so powerful and fearless that I knew right then that I wanted to get to know her. _

_Stefen and Leah deserved what though in the end for what they did to, she was Maleficent's sister and he was her fiancé yet the plotted against her, the heir to the kingdom tricking her into taking a witch's powers all so they could be happy._

_But what about Maleficent's happiness? She was banished from her kingdom the moment her father found out what happened. God he acted just like Leopold saying that my friend was lying and that his precious daughter Leah would never do something so vile but they don't know them like we do right Mal, we've seen the true faces under those innocent facades._

_I'm glad that you placed Aurora under that curse Maleficent maybe now Stefen and Leah will know what it's like to have everything taken from them._

_Day 103_

_I found out that in this world Charming has a wife, Midas's daughter Abigail._

_Even though he's in a coma as Doctor Whale calls it I can't help but feel glad for Abigail, I heard the stories back in the Enchanted Forest Charming broke off their engagement and left her to go search for Snow._

_It's not fair, Abigail lost her fiancé just like I lost Daniel why is it that these men never think about what we might feel when they leave us to chase after another woman, it hurts, it makes you feel like you're not good enough in their eyes._

_When the Saviour does come I will do everything I can to make sure that Abigail never feels that way again._

Emma stayed like that for the rest of the evening curled up on Regina's couch reading her journal and letting the woman's inner thoughts fill her head, by the time she finished the first journal the sheriff was shocked to discover that she had stayed up so late. Getting up from the couch the sheriff slowly made her way upstairs peaking in one last time on Henry and Regina before making her way to the guest room asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

*Later That Morning*

"-a." Henry's voice came pulling Emma from her sleep. "Hey ma get up."

Emma cracked her eyes open a little and groaned when she saw the bright light that was coming through the window, grabbing the nearest pillow Emma buried her head under it hoping to escape the horrible morning light.

"Ma come on its time to get up." Henry said shaking Emma's shoulders trying to wake her up.

"Henry it's too *yawn* early," Emma drowsily told her son bringing the blankets closer to her. "Give me five more minutes."

"Alright but if you don't get up I'm taking drastic measures." Henry said simply walking out the room letting Emma snuggle back under the warmth of the blankets letting them carry her back into dream land not caring about whatever Henry had planned.

Henry meanwhile had chosen to go back downstairs walking past his grandparents, who had come over to make breakfast, and making a beeline to the freezer opening the door and grabbing the first frozen icepack he saw.

"Uhh Henry," Snow said curiously looking at the item in Henry's hand well she absent-mindedly kept scrambling the eggs she had cooking in the frying pan. "What's with the icepack, do you have a fever?"

"No," Henry said simply looking at his grandparents as he walked back to his chair at the island. "It's for Ma."

"Does Emma have a fever?" David asked sounding worried; Emma hadn't mentioned being sick last night on the phone but it wouldn't surprise him if she had just simply chosen not to tell them.

"No just a case of sleeper's disease." Henry said shrugging his shoulders as he took a bite of his bacon.

"'Sleeper's disease'?" Snow and Charming echoed neither of them had ever heard of such a disease before.

"That's what mom says a non-morning person suffers from." Henry explained to the couple.

"Emma asked for five more minutes didn't she?" Snow asked shaking her head and smiling, when she had been Mary Margret it wasn't uncommon for her to go into Emma's room and remind the blonde the time.

"Yup." Henry said twirling the icepack around a little on the kitchen island.

"I'm guessing our daughter isn't exactly a morning person?" David asked laughing.

"Your one to talk David," Snow said in a teasing voice coming over and putting some eggs on her husband's plate. "I seem to remember you being late to quite a few meetings in the Enchanted Forest because they were scheduled so early."

"Oh sure blame me for Emma's bad habits when you're the one who can't function without coffee." David protested jokingly pointing to the large coffee mug next to Snow's plate.

"Neither can Emma/Ma." Henry and Snow said together.

David just rolled his eyes at the pair and looked back at the icepack. "Is this something Regina taught you?"

"Mmhmm," Henry said shaking his head as he took a bite of his eggs. "When I started going to school I had a case of sleeper's disease so mom would use this to wake me up."

"And how exactly did Regina us it?" Snow asked wondering what the icepack was used for.

"You have to be very quick," Henry said giving an evil smile that reminded the royal couple of a certain sleeping queen. "Because you're going to have to pull off their covers and place it on their stomach before they have a chance to stop you."

David and Snow both wanted to say something but Henry just jumped off his chair and ran out of the kitchen, distantly they heard him shout that Emma's five minutes were up.

"Wonder where he gets that from?" David said taking a small sip of his coffee a second later both adults heard a cry of 'HENRY' from upstairs and looked at each other shaking their heads already knowing the answer.

Regina

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Hope everyone liked the journal entries even though they were broken up over a period of time. I particularly enjoyed writing about Maleficent and wanted to capture a different take on her story, Stefen and Leah though are the names of the King and Queen from the Disney movie.**

**Sleeper's disease is just something that I made up but if it was real I can honestly say that I'd suffer from it.**

**Don't forget to leave me a review telling me what you thought; it always makes me happy to know what you the reader think about my latest chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

**I'm sorry that I didn't post last week but I was sick and my fever made my writing wonky so I felt rather than subject you the reader to a horrible chapter I would take the week off and come back stronger.**

Chapter 10

"Talking"

'_Thinking_'

_**Writing**_

* * *

Emma listlessly followed Henry downstairs absentmindedly rubbing her stomach where the ice pack had been placed along the way mumbling to herself, about what exactly Henry couldn't make out.

"Good morning Emma." Snow greeted her daughter upon seeing her and grinning grandson enter the kitchen.

Emma just grunted a simple 'good morning' back and sat down at the island letting her head rest in her arms looking like she was going to fall back asleep at any moment.

"I still have the ice pack ma." Henry said to his mother in a playful tone bringing it close enough to the sheriff's body for her to feel the cold without actually touching her with it.

Emma went ridged in her seat and looked at her son glaring darkly at him, Henry just smiled impishly back at her. A sudden pang of heartache went through Emma when she saw that smile; Henry looked so much like Neal when he smiled like that.

"My son is the spawn of evil." Emma said pouting slightly at her parents.

"Wouldn't that make you the evil?" David smirked taking a sip of his coffee.

"You're all so mean this morning." Emma whined childishly sitting up and stretching to try to keep herself awake.

"It is odd though, you haven't acted like this since you started working at the sheriff's office." Snow said recalling the blonde looking like a zombie every morning when she started working as a deputy for Graham.

"I started reading Regina's journal's last night and lost track of the time." Emma confessed yawning softly as she picked up her fork and started digging into the food on the plate in front of her.

"Does this mean I can read the journal to?" Henry asked giving his biological mother the biggest pair of puppy dog eyes she had ever seen.

Weighing the pros and cons in her head Emma swallowed her food and nodded. "Sure but it doesn't leave the house understand."

"Alright." Henry said looking very excited at the thought of reading his mother's journals suddenly.

"Anything we should know about?" David asked wondering if there was anything Emma had found that could help them wake Regina up or maybe even stop Cora.

"Yeah your home has more drama then some soap operas," Emma said shaking her head thinking about all the gossip Regina had written about as she found people throughout the town and compared the one's she knew to their former selves. "Regina wrote mostly about her figuring out how things work here, finding everyone and .. well this is kinda hard to explain do either of you know about Maleficent?"

"I make it a habit to always remember the dragons I've faced." David said thinking of the blonde woman who had been particularly difficult beat.

"Yeah well I feel bad that I killed her now," Emma said thinking about the dragon and how it had turned to ash when she was finally able to stab or rather throw her sword at it. "I know it was to save Henry and I would do it all over again but finding out that she was only like that cause her sister and fiancé tricked her made me wish I didn't have to."

"Wait, what?" Snow asked looking very confused.

"Yeah Regina wrote about it Maleficent's sister Leah and her fiancé Stefen tricked her into taking some witches power and that's why she had such a hate for them." Emma explained to her parents and son watching as their eyes went wide with the news.

"I .. I had no idea, I mean there were rumours about her motives but everyone just thought she was jealous of Leah." Snow said thinking back to when her father and Regina had returned from a party held in Aurora's kingdom and the man had been ranting on and on about the dragon witch who was just jealous of her sisters beauty until finally Regina having noticed her step-daughter's presence and asked him to stop.

"Now I feel bad for putting a giant egg behind her ear," David said looking guilty before his eyes went wide a moment later. "You don't think that's why she couldn't change back do you?"

"Relax Charming your guilt free there," Emma said putting a hand on her father's arm watching him deflate. "Henry's book talked about a Maleficent in human form **before** the curse was cast but after you woke Snow up."

"But Sleeping Beauty's parents were good, why would they do something like that?" Henry asked not understanding why anyone, especially a supposed good queen like Leah would curse their sister and steal her true love.

"Henry sometimes people do selfish things so that they can be happy," Snow said sadly looking at her grandson. "Like how I broke my promise to Regina and got Daniel killed, I used to believe it was because I didn't want her to lose her mother but really I wanted Regina to be **my** mother."

"Speaking of Regina back in your land I think something more caused her to go all … you know Evil Queenish." Emma said thinking about the woman's words from last night, occasionally she would make reference to being tricked and liars which had sparked the Saviour's curiosity.

"You're going to see Gold again aren't you?" David asked looking at his daughter seriously.

"Yes." Emma said simply returning to her food.

*Noon – Gold's Pawn Shop*

Rumplestilskin heard the tiny bell at his front door chime and looked up realizing at the clock trying to remember if he had an appointment with anyone today. He had been working on a way to bind magic since he opened the shop so that if they were able to capture Cora they could keep her prisoner. Stretching slightly Rumplestilskin picked up his cane and walked out to the front of the shop surprised to see the young werewolf looking at him nervously.

"Miss Lucas," Gold said looking at the woman curiously, it wasn't like the werewolf to actively seek him out so either she was running an errand from the royal family or she wanted to make a deal, something Rumplestilskin seriously doubted was the case. "What can I do for you today?"

"Look I know that our friendly neighbourhood librarian normally drops off these for you but she's swamped with work," Ruby said quickly placing the small pile of books she had been carrying on the counter making Gold raise an eyebrow as he looked at them. "They're all checked out just, return them before the due date kay."

Before Rumplestilskin had a chance to say anything Ruby was out the door, looking down at the books and reading their spines he saw that they were all about antiques except for the one in the middle it was a book on sailing. Being the curious man that he was Rumplestilskin picked up the book and saw a particular page was marked, opening it up he saw that it was a devoted to pirate ships.

'_Of course,'_ Rumplestilskin thought cursing himself silently. _'How could I have been so stupid, Hook and Cora would have had to come to Storybrooke somehow and a ship would make the most sense.'_

Smiling to himself Rumplestilskin went over to the phone and was about to call the sheriff's office to tell them about Belle's discovery when he noticed writing on the piece of paper that had been inside the book, turning it the right way the Dark One started reading.

_**Dear Rumple**_

_**I hope this letter finds you well; it's been a few days since we were last together and I miss you. I'll be honest with you the story you told me about your former wife has made me think more about your past and I'll also admit that a small part of me became scared of you when you told me how you killed your former wife until I realized something, you walked away from me to protect me something the man who killed Milah would never have done and although I still might need some time to accept everything I know one thing.**_

_**I love you Rumplestilskin and I always will so remember this if nothing else, no matter how hard you try to push me away I won't ever leave you.**_

_**That being said I know that I'm still in danger because of Hook so if you want to keep talking to me without tipping him off I suggest we exchange letters, you can slip them into the books I had Ruby bring you and no one will ever know.**_

_**Hope to hear from you soon.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Belle**_

Rumplestilskin felt a large smile come to his face as he finished the letter letting all the fear and anxiety he had been feeling for the past few days drain from his body. He had been so sure that Belle was going to leave him after finding out about Milah, yet here was proof that she still loved him, truly for all his power the former princess was the stronger of the two of them.

Slipping the letter into his jacket the pawn shop owner continued with his call to the sheriff's office telling Deputy Charming that he had good news unaware of the storm that was awaiting him.

*Sheriff's Station*

"Come on Emma this isn't funny." Neal said holding on to the bars of the cell looking at the blonde woman pitifully well David watched the whole scene feeling slightly amused, it wasn't often that he got to see Emma get flustered by someone and even when she did it was usually Henry that caused it.

"Neither is showing up Neal," Emma said arms crossed over her chest giving her ex the best death glare she could muster. "Why are you here?"

"I know that the curse is broken and I -" Neal started.

"How do you know about the curse?" Emma asked interrupting the man suddenly looking worried, glancing back at her father Emma could also see that he was scared that somehow the outside world had been tipped off to their presence. "Neal I'm serious, how do you know?"

"August told me," Neal said shrugging his shoulder's pulling out the post card he had received and showing it to Emma and David. "He's why I left."

"August as in August Booth aka. Pinocchio?" Emma asked when Neal nodded the sheriff couldn't help but feel a sudden desire to chase the missing man down and start a bonfire, with him as the kindle. "He told you about the curse and you just believed him."

Neal just nodded simply.

Emma felt like a volcano had suddenly exploded in her head as she started yelling. "What the hell were you thinking Neal?! How could you just believe him, I mean do you know how crazy it sounds even now!"

"Emma calm down." David said coming up to his daughter and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I will not calm down," Emma said lowering her voice to a dull roar now instead of the shouting it had been before looking at her father with wide eyes for a moment before turning back to Neal. "Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?"

"That's why I've been trying to tell you the reason I left," Neal said backing a few feet back from the bars suddenly worried that Emma was going to try to grab him through them. "Remember when we were together and you would tell me that you wanted to find your parents and figure out why they left you, when August told me who you were I knew the only way for that to happen was to leave you I did."

"Don't act noble in this Neal," Emma said not buying the man's act for a second, he wasn't lying though about one thing she had said those things numerous times to him but for Neal to just believe August the writer would have had to pull out some major proof to back his claim up and Emma for one wanted to know what it was. "Why did you even believe him?"

"That's complicated." Neal said sitting down on the small bed and slumping forward.

"Then say it simply." Emma growled at the man.

"My my Sheriff Swan I can here you all the way from the front door," Mr. Gold's voice rang out suddenly surprising all the people in the room and from what Emma saw Neal especially by the way he flinched and pulled up his hood trying to hide his face. "Is something the matter?"

"No," Emma said glaring at Neal one last time before looking at the pawnbroker. "What do you want?"

"I left a message with your father that I would be stopping by," Gold said looking at David who blushed suddenly, with all the confusion of Neal showing up the shepherd turned prince had forgotten to give his daughter the message. "Belle may have figured out where Hook and Cora are hiding."

"Hook?! As in Killian Jones," Neal said suddenly jumping up and grabbing the bars completely forgetting the man he was trying to avoid seeing. "He's **here**, Emma you have to let me out."

"No Ne-" Emma began.

"Bea?" Gold said in a shocked tone suddenly dropping the book he was carrying dropping resulting in a loud bang as he looked at the man in the cell with hope written across his face. "Bea is that you?"

Neal stood at his full height and looked at his father for the first time in centuries. "Hello papa."

* * *

***Author's Note***

**For those of you who don't know I have posted another Once Upon A Time story called My Little Sister Regina, it's a simple oneshot about Neal and Regina being related after the events of 'The Miller's Daughter' so if you like those two character check it out.**

**Don't forget to drop me a review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

Chapter 11

* * *

"Ok once more," Emma said looking at the man in front of her and secretly wishing she had a bottle of scotch hidden in her desk to pull out. "Your Neal or Bealfire's dad and when you got your powers you promised that if there was a way to get rid of them without killing yourself then you would?"

"That's right." Gold answered back leaning heavily on his cane as he looked at the blonde looking like someone had just broken into his shop and stolen his tea cup again.

"But when the Blue Fairy gave him a way but you couldn't do it and let Neal fall into a hole for parts unknown." Emma continued watching as those shoulder's slouched further like an extra weight had been added to them.

"Regretfully, also true." Gold admitted quickly glancing out of the sheriff's office at his son who was standing there at the door of his cell watching the pair.

"Explains why you hate for her then but what does this have to do with the curse?" Emma asked the man watching as his posture went from defeated to guarded in a split second. "Regina's journal said she cast it but you made it just not why you made it."

"After Bea fell through the portal I exhausted every possible lead I could find trying to follow him." Gold explained relaxing slightly at Emma's words.

"That led to a meeting between you and Hook where not only did you take his hand but you also killed his girlfriend, your ex-wife Milah who had run off with him." Emma said feeling very proud of herself when Gold's face became shocked, ever since she had first met the man she had wanted to surprise him at least once. "Also in the journal, I have to admire how thorough Regina was when she was writing about people lives."

"You do enjoy repeating things don't you Sherriff?" Gold said narrowing his eyes slightly silently wondering what else Regina knew about him.

"Given everything yes," Emma said silently thanking Regina, reading her journal not only gave Emma insight into the woman's mind and how it worked but answered some of the questions that Emma was afraid to as the people she was starting to consider friends. "Ok so after the magic bean plan fell through you made the curse but couldn't cast it yourself cause it requires 'the heart of the thing you love the most', which to Regina was her father."

"Unfortunately yes that is what the curse needed most to be cast." Gold said thinking about Belle, looking back now he could have used her to cast the curse himself but he knew he wouldn't be able to; he simply loved the woman too much too ever want to hurt her.

"Ok now that I'm all up to speed I have a question," Emma said lacing her fingers together on top of her desk and looking at Gold seriously. "Do you know who or what Regina means in her journal when she refers to liars and a trick?"

Gold sat there silent for few minutes thinking about the sheriff's question before his eyes widened slightly and he let out a deep sigh. "The liars would most like refer to me, Jefferson and Dr. Frankenstein."

"What did you three do to her?" Emma asked seriously.

"After I helped Regina rid herself of Cora she wanted to learn magic," Gold explained thinking about his first meeting with the new queen after Cora had been sent through the mirror. "At the time I knew what she wanted to use it for just not how to use it to my advantage."

"Please tell me you didn't have Whale do what I think he did," Emma said hoping that Daniel, the man Regina loved as much as she did Henry being brought back to life not just once but twice. "Tell me you didn't have him bring Daniel back over there?"

"Despite what the good doctor wishes to believe you cannot bring the dead back," Gold explained thinking about Gerhardt who had been brought back as a nearly feral creature and Daniel who had been not able to control the angry and murderous feelings that came from his new heart. "However we did put on a convincing show."

*Outside Emma's Office*

"Uh oh, whatever Rumplestilskin said just now was not good." Neal said looking into the office.

"How can you tell?" David asked looking up from his paper work at his daughter who had a blank look on her face.

"Emma's making the blank face, it's normally the one she puts on before 3 … 2 … 1." Neal said counting down with his fingers. A second later both men watched as Emma suddenly stood up and started yelling at the pawnbroker, they couldn't make out the exact words but the word 'bastard' seemed to be used a lot.

"Sooo," Neal said turning away from his yelling ex and looking at the man at the desk. "You're Emma's dad."

"And you're the guy who broke her heart." David said leaning back and looking at Neal like he was suddenly prey.

"Trust me I never wanted to but August made me realize the bigger picture." Neal weakly explained watching as hard blue eyes narrowed in on him.

"Your bigger picture sent my daughter to jail." David growled at the man who had not only hurt his daughter in the worst possible way but had also unknowingly taken Henry from her.

"Hey I would have happily done the time for her myself but Emma would have waited for me and then she would have never found you," Neal explained thinking about the blonde he knew eleven years ago knowing that what he had said was the truth, Emma would have waited for him no matter how long it took. "If it makes you feel better I turned myself in a few days later and served my time."

"It doesn't actually." David answered honestly.

"You know for being Prince Charming you're not being very nice." Neal said leaning forward against the bars.

"Can you blame me?" David asked seriously.

"Honestly … no," Neal answered thinking about what he would do if he had a kid and someone hurt them like he had hurt Emma. "If I had a daughter and someone did that to her I would break every bone in their bodies and that's just to start."

"Thanks for the idea." David said giving a little smirk.

"Suddenly I feel very safe behind these bars." Neal joked back weakly.

"I have a key you know," David said picking up the key ring and jingling it. "Deputy remember."

"And now it's gone." Neal said stepping back from the bars as if trying to put as much distance as he could between him and the blonde male.

David just looked at the man giving him the once over again. "You know, you're not what I expected at all."

"What were you expecting then?" Neal asked not understanding what the prince meant.

"Someone more … I don't know tough." David said trying to figure out the right word to describe who he thought Emma's type was thinking about his talk with Snow about Emma's predecessor Graham who fit his idea.

"Hey I'm tough." Neal protested feeling insulted, he might not be a fighter in the traditional sense but he could still hold his own in a fight.

"No you're scrappy," David said looking at the picture of Graham that Emma had hung on the wall in remembrance of the man. "I'm talking a guy with rippling muscles who grunts more than he speaks."

"You really think Emma would date a caveman," Neal laughed thinking about all his cons with Emma when they had been in their Bonnie and Clyde type relationship "Please she used to tell me that they were the easiest marks because they would never admit to being conned by some 'little woman' .. her words mind you not mine."

"You still love her?" David said suddenly looking at the brunette in shock.

"I still love the Emma I knew from eleven years ago, the one I abandoned," Neal said sitting on the bed back leaning against the wall looking at David seriously. "This Emma, maybe I could get along with her, be friends but we're two different people now and there's too much bad history between us to try and start over again."

"You'd think for a child created from true love Emma would have better luck in relationships," David mumbled to himself leaning back and thinking about his daughter for a moment before his eyes bulged out. "True love … oh my god EMMA!"

David suddenly jumped up and moved towards the door of Emma's office just as she and Gold were coming out looking worried that something had happened.

"David what'-" Emma started.

"Gold you said Emma is the child of the true love, the strongest magic there is." David interrupted looking at the man.

"Yes, but I fail to see why that's so important right now." Gold said not understanding what the shepherd was getting at precisely.

"Don't you see she's made of true love the only thing that can break a sleeping curse," David explained looking at Emma whose eyes had suddenly gone wide realizing where her father was going. "Emma could wake Regina up."

"Hey wait, slow down there pops," Emma said lifting her hands up as if trying to protect herself from her father's words. "I don't love Regina, I like her maybe in the way you like a rival but love no, no way."

"Uhh can someone explain to me what you're all talking about?" Neal asked getting back up and coming to stand in front of the bars looking at the trio. "Who's Regina?"

"Actually Sheriff as long as your heart doesn't have a dark mark you should be capable of waking her majesty up." Gold said agreeing with what the shepherd prince and wondering why they hadn't thought about this earlier.

"Hello can someone talk to me." Neal said from his cell not enjoying the fact that he was being ignored.

"Then we need to go now and wake her up." Emma said grabbing her trademark red leather jacket as she and her father started making their way towards the front door only to be stopped suddenly by a barrier.

Looking back they saw Rumplestilskin holding his hand up giving them a serious look. "And what are we going to do with my son then hmm, you can't leave him here especially if Hook comes here and figures out who he is."

"Would Ruby watching him make you feel better?" David asked thinking about their reserve member.

"I would prefer he be released into my custody." Gold said looking at his son seriously.

"Thanks but I'd rather stay in jail." Neal said back to his father coldly having no desire to go anywhere with the man who abandoned him.

"How about we make a deal?" Emma asked surprising everyone in the room with her words. "Unless we're absolutely sure that Neal's identity has been compromised he stays locked up in that cell until Hook and Cora are taken care of -"

"Hey I have rights you know," Neal interrupted his ex looking angry suddenly. "I haven't broken any laws here."

"Interesting idea but Bea makes a point he hasn't broken any laws." Gold said not wanting his reunion with his son to be done well one of them was behind bars.

"Look you know Bea but I know Neal and the moment we let him out of that cell he'll run and you'll never find him again," Emma said looking at the man who just glared at her as she extended her hand to the pawnbroker. "So I'm asking you Rumplestilskin, will you be 100% honest with us if I keep your son locked up so that you can talk to him when this is over."

Rumplestilskin just looked at the woman's out stretched hand and weighed his options, he knew that Emma wouldn't break her deal with him unlike many in this town the blonde woman had a sense of honour when it came to her promises.

"Only if you agree to the same turns Miss Swan." Gold said extending his own hand and giving the offered one a firm shake.

They both knew what the man was talking about, looking at Neal it was easy to see that the man was Henry's father but for some reason Rumplestilskin had no desire to be the one to share this knowledge to his son instead he was silently asking Emma that she be the one to tell him.

"Deal." Emma said simply turning and walking out of the room as soon as the handshake was finished ignoring Neal's yelling as she did.

* * *

***Author's Note***

**Just so everyone know there will be no Tamara in my story, Greg maybe but I had this planned out before I knew she existed.**

**Remember to review; I love reading what everyone thinks and for every person who does review you get a free cyber pastry of your choice as a reward.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

Chapter 12

* * *

Snow sat at her desk grading the math tests that she had been procrastinating doing for the past week, or at least she was trying to do somehow all her thoughts just kept drifting back to Regina. It was true that Snow had once hated her step-mother for everything she had done, especially after she woke up from the curse and saw her adult daughter standing before her, but after hearing from David everything that happened well they were in the forest Snow now felt conflicted.

It was almost like when her father died and Regina sent the Huntsman to kill her, her image of Regina was once again being replaced and a new version was taking the place of the old.

"Hey grandma." Henry's voice came from next to Snow surprising the woman suddenly.

"Henry," Snow gasped looking over at the boy and placing one hand over her heart. "Goodness you scared me."

"Sorry," Henry said looking down at the papers his grandmother had been working on and smirking slightly. "It's only fourth grade math grandma trust me it's not nearly as hard as it looks."

"Funny," Snow chuckled putting her red pen down and stretching. "No I was just deep in thought …. thinking about Regina."

"Me to," Henry whispered pulling over the small chair Snow had next to her desk for discipline purposes and looking at the queen fear and worry shown vividly across his face. "Do you think she's ok …. you know **there**."

Snow looked at the boy and started thinking about the red room, about the fire that danced around her and how scared she had been there alone with nothing to distract her from the timeless feeling.

"I don't know," Snow whispered honestly leaning back in her chair feeling like a large weight had been put there all of a sudden. "I mean we were ok."

"Yeah but mom's different." Henry said picking up one of Snow's pens and twirling it around his fingers looking anxious.

"How so?" Snow asked not seeing how Regina was any different from her and Henry.

"Mom hates the colour red for one." Henry said softly thinking about his mother and how she used to glare at Ruby, at first Henry thought it was because she hated the waitress but soon he figured out that it was really the color she always wore that his mom really hated.

"I thought Regina loved red," Snow said shocked by this news and thinking back to all her outfits both here and in the Enchanted Forest, there were an awful lot of red ones as she recalled. "She wore it enough."

"No mom told me that it reminded her of someone she wanted to forget but couldn't." Henry said thinking about after Emma brought him back to Storybrooke Regina had sat him down and tried to talk to her son being as truthful as she could be at the time about any questions Henry had asked her.

"You know all those years we lived together Regina wore bright colours every day," Snow said in a soft tone thinking about the dresses Regina wore when she had first married Leopold and remembering that seeing the new queen in them would often remind Snow of her mother. "When my father died however she started wearing black … it might sound silly now but after I found out that she killed him I wished that her wearing black meant that she regretted it in some small way."

"Maybe she did." Henry said patting his grandmother's knee comfortingly.

"Maybe, but I don't think so," Snow said shaking her head and smiling sadly at the boy. "Looking back now I realize my father wasn't as kind to Regina as I thought."

"How come?" Henry asked wondering if his great-grandfather had ever hurt his mom in some way.

"He gave Regina everything she could have ever wanted but freedom and her father," Snow said thinking back to shortly after the wedding Lord Henry had been banned from the castle for bringing Regina her apple tree. "I think my father was so afraid that I would lose another mother that he made sure that his guards followed Regina everywhere, I didn't realize it then but Regina was a prisoner in that castle."

"It's not your fault grandma you didn't know." Henry said sadly thinking wondering what else his mom had gone through well being married to Snow's dad.

"She most certainly didn't," Cora's voice suddenly came from the back of the room making both brunettes look back and see the woman in her normal blue dress standing there smiling at them like the cat who caught the canary. "Hello dears."

"Cora." Snow growled grabbing the scissors she kept on her desk and holding them up like a weapon to the woman.

"Now Snow there's no need for that," Cora said glancing at the scissors as if they were an annoying insect. "I come in peace."

"Somehow I doubt that," Snow said standing in front of Henry prepared to defend herself and him at any moment. "Stay behind me."

"Honestly," Cora sighed flicking her wrist causing the scissors to not only fly out of the young queen's hand and imbedded themselves in the wall but also bound Snow lifting her up in the air a few feet. "I just want to talk to my grandson for a moment."

"What do you want?" Henry asked glaring at the woman who walked closer to them.

Cora just looked at Henry placing her unoccupied hand on his cheek once she got close enough reminding Henry of a viper when she smiled down at him. "So much like Regina when she was that age."

"What do you want Cora?" Henry asked again increasing his glare at the mention of his mother's name.

"It's grandma dear," Cora chided pulling her hand back before looking at the boy seriously. "And the answer is simple, I want my daughter back."

"We don't know where Regina is." Snow said looking at the woman before gasping suddenly as the pressure holding her increased slightly.

"Now Snow we both know that's a lie," Cora said looking up at the woman debating on whether or not she could still get what she wanted from Henry if she sent his other grandmother hurtling out through the window.

Deciding not to take the risk Cora looked back at her grandson. "I checked the cabin you sent me to Henry and under that quint mausoleum Regina set up for my husband; I've even searched this whole town but one place … Regina's house."

Snow and Henry felt their hearts stop instantly at the mention of the mayor's house.

"You see what surprised me the most was just as I was about to go into the house I was deflected by a barrier," Cora continued looking down at Henry seriously. "Now tell me Henry, why is there a barrier around your mother's home?"

Henry wasn't sure what to do if he told this woman about his mom being asleep she might hurt Snow and possibly destroy the whole town in anger but if he say anything didn't Cora would defiantly hurt Snow.

"M-mom was worried about getting attacked after the curse broke," Henry lied weakly to the woman hoping she would buy it like his cabin story. "She probably forgot to take it down when she disappeared."

"Obviously Regina hasn't taught you anything about magic," Cora said clicking her tongue distastefully making plans to have a long talk with her daughter about that when they were reunited about her grandsons education in magic. "A barrier can only last as long as its caster is inside now I ask again, where is my daughter?"

"Henry don't tell her." Snow cried gasping as the magic holding her suddenly sent a shock through her body.

"If he doesn't Snow then I will rip out your heart and crush it in front of him just I like did to Daniel." Cora said lowering the woman so that she was at a better angle to go through on her threat.

"Go ahead witch I'm not afraid of you." Snow growled glaring at Regina's mother with all the hate she could muster.

Cora looked at Snow frowning deeply seeing another face overlap the younger woman's. "You look so much like Eva … to much maybe I should -"

"STOP!" Henry yelled before Cora's hand could get any closer to Snow's heart making Cora pause and look at him. "Mom's in the house."

"Henry no." Snow whispered gasping as another shock of pain rushes through her as she did.

"Quiet," Cora said lightly ignoring the way Snow's head fell forward slightly as she looked at her grandson. "Why did you lie to me Henry? That's not a nice thing to do."

"Because we knew," Henry said standing his ground in front of the woman planning on making both his mother's proud with his bravery. "We knew what you'd do if you found out."

"Found out what?" Cora asked eyes widening slightly as she looked at Snow angrily. "What have you done to my daughter?!"

"Henry … no," Snow whispered looking at her grandson. "Don't."

"You want to know what you did to my mom when you murdered Dr. Hopper _grandma_," Henry growled spitting out the last word like it was a curse. "She lost everything, she broke -"

"Perfect," Cora interrupted wondering how long it might take to break through her daughter's pitiful barrier and collect her so that they could leave for the house she had created in the woods. "Now I can collect her and we can leave."

"She put herself under a sleeping curse because of you!" Henry yelled finishing his sentence and making everyone in the room freeze.

Seconds later the magic binding Snow dropped and the queen fell to the floor of the classroom gasping and coughing well Cora stood above her looking shocked, something that Snow hadn't seen on the woman's face since Emma blasted her back when they were fighting in the forest.

"You lie," Cora hissed looking at the boy. "You lie! Regina would never -"

"She did," Snow interrupted coughing as she looked up at Cora and smiled coldly. "Your plan was perfect Cora, use us to break Regina for you so that she'd run straight into your arms but you forgot that Regina never does what she's told."

"Be silent Snow White or I burn this whole school down," Cora hissed summoning a large fireball and standing there thinking about what she had just been told and trying to figure out some way to wake her daughter up.

Cora knew she couldn't wake Regina up herself, a person needed a heart to do that and she had removed hers long ago. And even if she did put it back now there was no guarantee that she would be able to remove it again, love was weakness and Cora knew that she would become weak if she put her heart back into her body.

"You," Cora said softly looking at Henry like he was a precious jewel suddenly. "You love my daughter, that's why you lied to me when we met so out of respect for being able to trick me like that I will give you one day to wake Regina up."

"But that's impossible," Snow said staring up at the formally dressed woman. "We've been trying -"

"Then try harder," Cora hissed glaring down at Snow harshly before looking back at Henry. "If my daughter is not awake and waiting for me on the docks tomorrow afternoon I will burn this whole town to the ground."

With that threat a large twirling puff of purple smoke suddenly surrounded Cora transporting her away, when the last of the smoke cleared Henry ran to his grandmother to make sure she was alright helping her stand up after a few minutes.

"Henry, go pack your bag," Snow said seriously looking at the boy who just nodded. "We need to get to the station."

*Storybrooke Sheriff's Station*

Neal was bored, his watch was telling him that it had been nearly half an hour since Emma had left with both men and his guard still hadn't shown up, plus Emma in all her infinite wisdom hadn't even bothered to leave him a book to read and there were only so many times Neal could count the tile on the ceiling.

"Emma! David!" female voice suddenly called out making Neal sit up on the bed to see who it was hoping silently that it was this mystery Ruby he had heard Prince Charming mention. "We have a pro..b..lem."

Neal looked at the new comer, she was an attractive young woman with black hair cut in a cute pixie style but her outfit was a little too innocent for Neal's taste though something about her seemed familiar.

"Uh yeah hi I'm Neal," Neal said getting up and coming to stand in front of the cell bars. "Emma and David they left like a half hour ago."

"Did they say where they were going?" The woman asked looking at him suspiciously.

"Something about a woman named Regina," Neal said thinking back to the confusing conversation he had overheard before his face brightened slightly. "Hey do you think you could let me out, I haven't really done anything wrong."

"If my daughter and husband locked you up you must have done something." The woman said eyes narrowing in one Neal.

Neal suddenly looked at the woman more closely figuring out why she was so familiar, she had Emma's permanently young looking face which meant by process of elimination that this was Snow White, Emma's mom.

"This is so not my day." Neal muttered to himself.

"Now if you'll excuse me Henry we're leaving." Snow said turning around and surprised to not see her grandson there.

"Not just yet fair queen," Hook's voice came suddenly, both adults turned and saw the pirate suddenly come through the door his remaining hand covering Henry's mouth well his hook laid next to the boys throat ready to strike at any moment. "We're about to have a conversation the two of us."

"Let him go Hook." Snow said looking at Henry more scared for his safety then of Hook.

"Now why should I do that if he dies," Hook said pulling the boy back and causing a muffled cry to come from him. "Dear sweet Emma would need some consoling now wouldn't she?"

"You stay away from my daughter you pirate bas-" Snow began glaring at the man harsher then she had with Cora.

"You still suck at picking up girl's Jones," Neal suddenly called from his cell trying to distract the pirate, he might not have wanted his identity to be known by anyone but he wasn't willing to sacrifice a kid to do it. "Remember you flatter them, not gross them out."

"Do my ears deceive me," Hook said pulling Henry with him as he moved towards the cell so that he was standing eye to eye with Neal and smirking slightly. "My my Peter you have grown up or is it Bealfire now."

"How do you know that name?" Neal asked glaring at the man.

"Reading lips is a skill that I found to be very useful," Hook said thinking about how he watched the crocodile explain who Neal was to dear Emma from his spot across the street. "Milah used to talk about you when we got drunk together."

"Why would my mother ever have a drink with you?" Neal demanded trying not to imagine all the horrible things he believed Hook might have done to his mother when he took her. "You kidnapped her."

"You can't kidnap someone who wants it and your mother wanted it badly." Hook sneered enjoying the way the man's eyes widened as he realized that Milah hadn't really been kidnapped, she had voluntarily left him and her reptile husband behind for better things.

Henry taking advantage of the man's distracted attention bit down on Hook's hand as hard as he could, surprised by the action the pirate pulled his hands back accidentally cutting Henry lightly on the throat with his hook.

This distraction was all Snow needed to pull out the collapsible baton she knew David kept in his drawer out and using the speed she rediscovered well in the Enchanted Forest Snow delivered a clean blow to the side of the captain's head knocking him out instantly.

Now that the danger passed Neal quickly squatted down and yanked the dangerous weapon off the pirates stump looking at Snow as he stood up and smiled. "Will you let me out now?"

* * *

***Author's Note***

**I personally think that Hook as two hooks, one for everyday killing and that poisonous one he used on Rumple in New York.**

**Next chapter we find out a little on my version of Neverland and the Netherworld.**

**Remember to review; I love reading what everyone thinks and for every person who does review you get a free cyber pastry of your choice as a reward.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A time as much as I would love to.**

Chapter 13

* * *

"What's Neverland like? Is Tinkerbell a fairy or a pixie? If you're Peter why'd you grow up? What happened to the Lost Boys?" Henry asked the man next to with rapid speed making him raise one eyebrow and look at Snow.

"Is he always this curious?" Neal inquired to the driving woman.

"Henry loves hearing stories about different lands." Snow answered back smiling softly, the school teacher would be lying if she said she wasn't still suspicious of the man but after he helped her not only strip and lock up Hook but also take care of the wound on the side of Henry's neck she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Neal just nodded and turned his head to look at the boy.

"Neverland's cool think jungle/ forest hybrid, Tink's a pixie though you might not think it last I saw her she was becoming the Queen of the Pixies so she might be your size now," Neal answered thinking about the land and his small companion who helped him smile again when he had first fallen through the portal and arrived in Neverland feeling betrayed by his father. "I grew up because after Hook left Neverland it really didn't need to be protected anymore but the Lost Boys stayed behind with Tiger Lily's tribe to sure that if anyone ever did come to try they would be met with a nasty surprise."

"There's really a tribe of Indian's in Neverland?" Henry asked amazed by the idea his eyes nearly doubling in size.

"Well contrary to the story it's really just a tribe of kids," Neal answered remembering the small tribe and how Tiger Lily's youngest had only looked to be about eight years old. "See only kids can actually live on the island that's why Hook stayed of his ship and only came on shore when he absolutely needed supplies, otherwise he would have started turning him back into a kid himself and lost all his memories."

"Wow." Henry said utterly entranced by the idea of Neverland.

"Wow indeed," Snow echoed trying to imagine a place with no adults, as a child it would have seemed like paradise to her but now as an adult herself she couldn't imagine how the children survived alone. "I heard stories about Neverland, a kingdom completely made up of children but I never thought it was true."

"Trust me it is." Neal said smiling slightly as he remembered the island even now he called home.

"How did you survive without any grownups?" Henry asked as if reading his grandmother's mind.

"We worked together," Neal said shrugging his shoulders. "Tiger Lily's tribe was in charge of finding food and we were in charge of discovering safe places to hide it, plus both tribes fought together against Hook in case he ever found them."

"What about the other pixies and the mermaids, were there really mermaids?" Henry asked again wondering if there were mermaids did Ariel know them or if they were a whole different kingdom.

"The pixies helped find us find shelter," Neal answered thinking back to the large hollow tree that Tinker Bell had found for the Lost Boys. "And we did have mermaids they taught us to fish but you had to be careful with them, they liked to cuddle."

"Why's that so bad?" Henry asked looking confused.

"Normally it's not but the mermaids never wanted to let us go," Neal chuckled thinking back to the women who would pout when any of the children would escape them. "I once spent a whole day being hugged by one until Tink got so annoyed she stole the mermaids comb."

"Wow," Henry said before turning to look at Snow "Hey grandma do you think that Ariel knows them somehow?"

Neal suddenly felt something inside him freeze, if Snow was Emma's mother and Henry was calling her grandma does that mean that he's.

'_No,'_ Neal thought shaking his head. _'No way Emma would not tell me.'_

"So now that you know a little about me what about you two?" Neal asked trying to be as subtle as he could to try to get information from the pair and possibly who Henry was.

"What do you want to know?" Snow asked suspiciously glancing at the man briefly out of the corner of her eye.

"Relax Snow I'm not looking to dig out your closets skeletons," Neal said giving the same disarming smile to the brunette that he had given to Emma when she stole his stolen car. "I'm just curious about the town, I mean no offence but you look to be what 26 – 27 way too young to be called grandma."

"I'm not sure I feel comfortable telling you anything," Snow said honestly tightening her grip on the steering wheel slightly. "Forgive me but how do I know you really are Peter Pan, you could just be an ally of Hook and Cora's that we don't know about."

Neal looked at the woman and could see where Emma got her natural suspicion for people from but if he wanted to find out the truth about Henry he would have to do something really drastic to prove he was who he claimed he was so with a heavy sigh Neal looked at the woman driving seriously.

"Rumplestilskin is my father."

In hindsight Neal should have seen the woman's sudden breaking of the truck coming but he was still taken by surprise when he launched forward a little and the two other occupants stared at him in shock.

"R-Rumplestilskin is you're WHAT?" Snow asked yelling the last word as she looked at Neal as if trying to dissect him and pick out the pieces of his father.

"Cool." Was Henry's only response to the news.

"Yeah he's my dad but we have a strained relationship at the best of times so this is my way of telling you that I'm sorta trustworthy." Neal said trying to remain as calm as possible as he spoke.

"Because who would ever admit to being the Dark One's son," Snow said trying to think of all the people who had ever claimed a relationship to the imp in their old world, no one was ever crazy enough to actually dare claim that they shared blood with the man. "In the old world if he ever found out someone was claiming such a thing killing them would be the least of what he'd do."

"Ok so until Mr. Gold says otherwise I'm Henry Mills," Henry said remembering what Regina had taught him about introducing himself properly. "My adoptive mom's the mayor Regina Mills and my birth mom is Emma, the woman who arrested you."

Neal just looked at the boy and numbly extended his own hand knowing now that unless Henry was somehow younger than he looked he was Neal's son. "Hey Henry I'm Neal Cassidy."

"And I'm Snow White," Snow said noticing the shocked look on the man's face but deciding to leave it alone until she had a chance to talk to Emma. "I apologize for being suspicious but …"

"You're just protecting your family, don't worry I get it," Neal finished giving an understanding the woman's hesitancy before turning back to Henry. "So Regina's your mom huh you know Prince Charming mentioned her before he and the other two left me."

"Did they say anything before they left?" Snow asked urgently.

"Yeah, something about Emma being the child of pure love." Neal said thinking back to the strange way David had described his daughter.

Both brunette's put on a similar confused face as they continued the drive to Regina's house. Once they parked the truck in the mansion's drive way they all made their way to the front door, Snow making sure to invite Neal inside so that he could get past the barrier. As soon as the door was closed though a female voice was heard yelling clearly from upstairs.

"MY MOTHER IS HERE!"

*Netherland*

Regina walked around the red platform amused as the flames in front of her parted as she did, it wouldn't surprise the once queen if she turned around and saw them gathered around her back like a fiery cape.

Regina wasn't sure how long she'd been here but during her time here the former queen had learned things about this world that others perhaps did not. The first thing she discovered was that even though the flames would push towards her and try to scare her the fire itself wouldn't actually touch her unless she tried to touch it. The second thing was a small narrow path that she found near one of the corners of the platform, when she followed it Regina found that it led to a second room that was completely made up of ice.

And just like the red room this new white ice room led to another room, once she was able to find the small path which had taken longer since much of the room was covered in a thin layer of snow. After that Regina found that she enjoyed discovering where the new room would lead to it was almost like a game for her to pass the time with.

So far she had found a storm room where loud claps of thunder and streaks of lightning rained down on her, a room full of small twisters and many other different and unique followed but sadly Regina had gotten bored with her never ending quest to find the end and decided to come back the red room.

*BA-DUMP*

Regina gasped and fell to her knees at the sudden feeling of her heart pounding.

*BA-DUMP* *BA-DUMP*

Trying as she could Regina found that she suddenly couldn't breathe as hard as she tried the former queen couldn't take in even a sliver of air and was already starting to feel herself losing consciousness.

It was almost like she was floating.

Suddenly the great weight on her chest lifted and Regina took a giant gasp opening her eyes for the first time since she let herself fall under the sleeping curse.

"Regina," Ms. Swan's voice came as Regina groaned and tried to fight off the bright light. "Hey Regina, are you alright?"

"Ms. Swan?" Regina asked in a slightly hoarse voice once her eyes focused and she saw the blonde woman's face hovering above her own. "What may I ask do you think you're doing in my house?"

Emma just let out a small chuckle and smiled down at her former enemy. "Well at least you didn't lost your sparkling personality well you were asleep."

Regina tried to sit up but she felt like she had no strength in her limbs, feeling arms suddenly around her waist she looked and saw that idiot number two, Prince Charming was helping her sit up on her bed and handing her a glass of water the moment she was sitting up.

"Uh … thank you David." Regina said awkwardly taking the glass from the man carefully trying not to spill its contents all over herself.

"You're welcome Regina." David answered back giving his typical boyish smile before moving back to give the woman some space.

"I'm glad to see your awake again your majesty," Rumplestilskin said from his spot at the end of the bed looking at Regina like she was a small child who had done something wrong. "You did something very foolish."

"Gold," Regina sneered back slightly. "Why are you here? And how long was I asleep?"

"By my estimate a week and a half perhaps two at most," Rumplestilskin answered smoothly looking at his formal pupil seriously. "And we seem to have a serious problem."

"Gold she just woke up." Emma said not wanting to be caught up in another one of Regina's magic outbursts; her back still had bruises from the last time.

"What's wrong?" Regina said sounding scared her mind immediately going to her son. "Is Henry ok?"

"Henry's fine Regina don't worry." David said trying to calm the woman down.

"It's Cora though." Rumplestilskin continued noticing that Regina flinched at her mother's name slightly.

"Gold." Emma warned again.

"She's in Storybrooke." Gold finished bluntly ignoring the sheriff's silent warnings.

The room suddenly became so silent Emma would bet that you could drop a pin and hear the noise it made when it hit the floor. Regina's eye's widened at the words instantly as she looked at both members of the sheriff's department like they would suddenly tell her that they were joking.

"MY MOTHER IS HERE!" Regina yelled the moment David and Emma avoid her pleading glances.

"Regina calm down." David said moving quickly and taking the glass from her before she had a chance to throw it at the pawn brokers head.

"Calm down! Calm down! How can I calm down when my mother is here?" Regina cried hysterically grabbing her pillow and weakly throwing it at the imp's instead of the glass she so desired she could. "Henry, oh god please tell me he's still not in Storybrooke?"

"Regina I swear if you don't calm down I'm going to see if that slapping idea from movies really works on hysterical people," Emma warned not flinching when the heated dark brown eyes suddenly turned away from the man at the end of the bed and settled on her. "Yes Cora is here, Hook stole the bean from the last giant back in the forest and no Henry hasn't left Storybrooke but he and I did move back here so your barrier could keep him safe."

"But what -" Regina started to say.

"Trust me we never leave him alone, Snow watches him at school at all times and either myself or David picks him up," Emma interrupted placing a hand on the hysterical woman's shoulder. "Gold also put up a barrier around the diner and library not to mention Belle's place so if we need to hide him we can."

"But -" Regina started again before getting interrupted by her bedroom door slamming open and two dark haired blurs launching themselves past Emma and at her each of them pulling her into a tight hug.

"MOM/ REGINA."

"Henry?" Regina asked looking down at her son before her eyes widened at the second person who was hugging her. "Snow?"

"What the heck are you two doing here?" Emma asked looking at the pair who should still be at school.

"Uh I can answer that," Neal's voice came from the door immediately grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. "We kinda had a visit from an angry pirate."

* * *

***Author's Notes***

**Hope everyone likes that Regina is now awake and the way I decided to do Neverland, if my use of the word Indian offends anyone I apologize now, and explore more of the Netherworld cause I seriously doubt that its one big room of fire.**

**I might have Regina giving permission for Henry to read her journals but that's still in the works.**

**I'm also a little sorry to say that my stories are going to be on semi-temporary hiatus for a few weeks its exam time at my school and I need to focus so please forgive me for updating irregularly for the rest of April.**

**Please though drop me a review; I love reading what everyone thinks and for every person who does review you get a free cyber pastry of your choice as a reward.**


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